Wealth Matters

The stock market has fallen by about 10% in the last two weeks, destroying about $2 trillion of wealth. If the market does not rebound quickly this will cut GDP by about $70 billion; half a percent. Here’s why. Suppose you just lost $10,000 due to the market decline, will you cut your annual spending by $350 as a result? Probably. Welcome to the wealth effect; it matters.