Ultra-rich own three times the wealth of the bottom half, study finds
A World Inequality Report led by Thomas Piketty shows extreme global disparities: the top 0.001% hold three times the wealth of the bottom half; the richest 10% own about 75% of wealth while the poorest half has ~2%. Income is similarly skewed, with the top 10% earning more than the rest of humanity combined and the poorest half capturing under 10% of global income. The gender pay gap persists (women ~25% of global labor income), and poorer countries are squeezed by a financial system biased toward rich states, reflecting enduring institutional and historical factors.
