THIS WEEK ARIEL, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHWAB, RELEASED THEIR ANNUAL SURVEY OF THE FINANCIAL HABITS OF BLACK AMERICANS. THE FINDINGS, WHILE SHOWING GLIMMERS OF HOPE, REINFORCE HOW MUCH OF AN INVESTING DISPARITY REMAINS. “THE DEEP-ROOTED GAP IN PARTICIPATION BETWEEN THE GROUPS PERSISTS, WITH 55% OF BLACK AMERICANS AND 71% OF WHITE AMERICANS REPORTING STOCK MARKET INVESTMENTS. THIS DISPARITY, COMPOUNDED OVER TIME, MEANS THAT MIDDLE-CLASS BLACK AMERICANS WILL HAVE LESS MONEY SAVED FOR RETIREMENT AND LESS WEALTH TO PASS ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION THAN THEIR WHITE PEERS,” ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY.