US household net worth increased by $2.2 trillion to a record high.

With the continuous rise of the stock market at the end of the year, American household wealth in the fourth quarter reached a record high. A report released by the Federal Reserve on Thursday showed that household net worth increased by $2.2 trillion from the previous quarter, reaching $184.1 trillion. Among them, the value of stock assets held by American households increased by $1.6 trillion. The S&P 500 index continued its upward trend in the fourth quarter and set new records, boosting investor wealth. Optimism about artificial intelligence and corporate profitability prospects drove stock prices higher. The report also showed a decrease of approximately $347 billion in the value of real estate assets held by households, reflecting a weak performance in the real estate market. Meanwhile, consumer borrowing increased at the slowest pace since the first quarter of 2025, with a growth rate of 3.3% on an annualized basis. Non-mortgage consumer credit growth accelerated, while mortgage loan growth slowed significantly. Corporate debt balance grew at the slowest rate in a year, at an annualized rate of 2.4%. In the public sector, state and local government debt grew slightly, while federal government borrowing grew strongly. Including savings accounts, checking accounts, and money market funds, deposits held by households and nonprofit organizations increased by 3.3% to a record high of $20.5 trillion.