RJ and Makay

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Millionaire households comprised 39% of the world’s wealth in 2010, up from 37% in 2009, according to a new Boston Consulting Group survey study. 0.9% of all households globally had assets of over $1 million.  01% of households had $5 million or more in assets and represented 22% of global wealth, a 2% increase from 2009.

Though March saw commercial property & casualty (P&C) rates fall yet again, the average decline of 4% was at least smaller than the 5% drop that occurred in each of the previous four months. Also, several lines of coverage — workers comp, property, business interruption, small commercial, general liability, and automotive — are showing a moderation of rate cuts, MarketScout reports.

“We have finally broken out of the doldrums. Rates are moving,” remarks MarketScout CEO Richard Kerr. “It looks like the soft market from 2005 to 2011 will end with workers compensation and catastrophe exposed property risks leading the way out.”

It may not be necessary to complete the second round of quantitative easing (QE2), the Federal Reserve's $600 billion bond-buying program aimed at stimulating the U.S. economy, suggests St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President James Bullard. “The economy is looking pretty good,” he explains. "It's still reasonable to review QE2 at coming meetings, especially this April, and see if we want to finish the program or stop a little bit short."

However, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke has given no indication the central bank will deviate from its plan to buy bonds through June to spur economic growth and reduce unemployment. In two days of congressional testimony earlier this month, Bernanke said that while growth will accelerate in 2011, he still wants to see a sustained period of stronger job creation before curtailing economic stimulus.