U.S. household net worth increased in the fourth quarter as a gain in the value of equity holdings more than offset weakness in real estate.
Household net worth climbed nearly $3 trillion, or 2%, in the October-December period to $147.7 trillion after declining the previous two quarters, a Federal Reserve report showed Thursday. That was the biggest advance of the year.
The value of equity holdings advanced $2.7 trillion in the fourth quarter, while the value of real estate held by households fell almost $100 billion.
