The Spectrem Group’s “Affluent Investor Sentiment Index” rose a bit in November with nearly half (48%) of affluent investors saying they were encouraged to invest by the results of the November election.

The month’s neutral reading continues a period of relative stability for the index, conducted by the Chicago-based firm, measures the investment outlook of households with $500,000 or more in invested assets.

The Spectrem “Millionaire Index” was flat in November. More than half of millionaires poled (52%) said the election results encouraged them to invest.

About one-quarter of both groups (24% affluent, 23% millionaires) expressed indifference, with a similar percentage (27% affluent, 22% millionaires) saying they were less encouraged to invest. The remainder responded they did not know.

In response to an open-ended question about the news events driving their economic outlook, more than one-third of affluent investors (36%) cited the presidential election and 16% the Iraq War. Beyond those two events, affluent investors selected the economy (7%), deficit (6%), increasing oil and gas prices (4%), higher interest rates (4%) and stock market conditions (4%).

The percentage concerned about higher energy costs fell considerably from May (19%) and August (20%), when this question was last asked.

Millionaires were twice as focused on the economy as the broader affluent group (14% vs. 7%), but significantly less influenced by the Iraq War (10% vs. 16%).

The affluent investor index data has a margin of error of plus or minus 6.2 percentage points. Interviews are conducted with the financial decision-makers in households with $500,000 or more in investable assets.