According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the world’s 500 richest people added a record $336 billion to their combined fortunes in a single day, driven by a sharp rise in global markets and a surge in SpaceX shares, reports Anadolu.

The gains, recorded at the close of trading in New York on Monday, boosted the combined net worth of the world’s 500 richest people to a record 13.3 trillion dollars. Elon Musk, now the world’s first billionaire, extended his lead at the top of the list as his fortune rose more than 10 percent to $1.27 trillion.

The increase was driven largely by Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly known as SpaceX, which made its public market debut last week. The company’s market value jumped 20 percent on Monday as retail investors rushed to buy its shares.

The momentum added $164 billion to Musk’s net worth in a single day, nearly matching the combined gains of 499 other people in the Bloomberg index. Markets were buoyed by optimism after the US and Iran reached an interim deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns over global energy supplies and trade flows.

The Bloomberg index showed a widening gap between the world’s wealthiest individuals. According to that, the top 50 billionaires now control $6.5 trillion, almost equal to the $6.8 trillion held by the remaining 450 people on the list.

The threshold to enter the Bloomberg Billionaires Index hit a record high, with the last 12 people on the list each holding $7.9 billion in wealth.

Source: prizrenpost