Morgan Stanley’s Ellen Zentner: Women are reshaping the economy. Markets haven’t caught up

Morgan Stanley’s Ellen Zentner is drawing attention to a structural change in economic power: women are building and inheriting more wealth, while markets have yet to fully reflect its significance.

A changing source of economic power

The shift extends beyond individual finances. As women accumulate and receive more wealth, their economic influence is becoming an increasingly important part of the broader business landscape.

That development has received less attention than it may warrant. Zentner’s observation places women’s growing wealth at the center of a wider discussion about how economic power is changing and where commercial opportunities may emerge.

Businesses and services may benefit

The expanding pool of wealth is relevant to companies that provide businesses and services connected to women’s economic activity. The source points to those areas as potential beneficiaries of this structural transition.

The message for markets is straightforward: changes in who controls and builds wealth can have business consequences, even when investors have not yet fully accounted for them. Women’s rising wealth therefore represents both an economic shift and a consideration for the companies positioned to serve it.

Why the shift matters

The key issue is visibility. Women’s wealth creation and inheritance are growing, but the market response has not kept pace with the change described by Zentner. For businesses and services that stand to benefit, that gap underscores the importance of recognizing women’s expanding role in the economy.