The Wealth Effect – The relationship between personal wealth and consumer spending. According to the wealth effect consumers have a tendency to spend a larger proportion of personal income as their wealth increases. The wealth effect was used to explain increases in consumer spending in the late 1990s when stock prices boomed.

Higher equity prices will boost consumer wealth and help increase confidence, which can spur spending. — Ben Bernanke, 2010.

Household Net Worth continues to rise and like most stock markets, made another new all-time high closing out Q317.