5pts  Spectrem Millionaire Investor Index (SMII)^®  

 ^{Millionaires’ outlook edges back up 5 points to –9, despite continued uncertainty.}

 0pts  Spectrem Affluent Investor Index (SAII)^®   

The Spectrem Affluent Investor Index (SAII)® held steady and the Spectrem Millionaire Investor Index (SMII)® rose as both groups prepare for uncertainty in the future.

This month brings a return to the status quo of the Millioinaires hovering above the Affluent on the index; a clear adjustment from last month’s overly-confident rise on the behalf of the Affluent. Now, both groups are pulling back on investments.

What the summer months will bring is not clear beyond a cutting back on luxury items, a readjusting of budgets, and rethinking of both domestic and international travel plans.

Though the recession has been averted, for the time being, with an anemic 0.9% growth last quarter, the threat has not diminished. The housing market continues to struggle and Americans are feeling the pinch more than ever.

In Spectrem’s Investment Preferences, Not Investing rose 11.3 and hit a new high, as the affluent backed out of the market amid concerns about rising oil and gas prices and continued worried about the economy. Every investment preference fell this month, with a big drop in Cash, which is down 13.8 points. Stock investing hit it’s all-time low as well at 13.2, while several other measures hovered near their lows.

When the Affluent will return to the market is uncertain. There is little hope for stability in the future though the recession has been staved off for now, with spiking oil and gas prices, an election nearing that is growing ever-more contentious, and no relief in sight, contribute to the uncertainty.

Top of the list of concerns in Perception of Issues for the Affluent and Millionaires is Increasing Oil and Gas Prices (45%). This is not surprising considering the recent spike in fuel cost with the summer travel season approaching. Expensive fuel costs are effecting Americans across the board, influencing a wide range of aspects like the price of goods due to increased shipping costs, commuting costs, vacations plans and airfare. The Overall Household Outlook is up, slightly (2.3) this month, though both the affluent and millionaires are still concerned about the economy. This sub-measure dropped 6.1 between last month and this month, though all other measures rose.

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