Initially banks did not publicise these discounts, but since the mid 2000s, they have been quite open about them, and now the vast majority of new borrowers pay an interest rate that is below the standard variable rate. The discount has grown over time and has spread to most borrowers.
Although in dollar terms, stockholdings remain concentrated in the upper income brackets, the pain of falling stock prices during the past three years has been widely shared: More than half of all U.S. households now own at least some equities, either directly or indirectly through such vehicles as mutual funds, pension plans, variable annuities, and personal trusts (Aizcorbe, Kennickell, and Moore, 2003).