Household net worth climbed by $2.3 trillion in 17Q1 and it is now a record $94.8 trillion and a record 5 times GDP, well higher than during the housing or dotcom booms. Stock market wealth rose by $1.3 trillion and real estate by $500 billion. This wealth increase boosts consumer confidence, but household spending remains lackluster, partly because relatively few Americans own equities and the homeownership rate is very low.