$117 billion in a day: World’s richest lose in stock market meltdown

The wealthiest 500 people on Earth lost 2.1% of their collective net worth on Monday as US stocks plunged in their biggest drop this year.

Twenty-one members of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index lost $1 billion or more as investors reacted to stepped-up tensions between the US and China. Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos declined the most, shedding $3.4 billion as shares of the online retailer tumbled. But he’s still the richest person on the planet with $110 billion.

The loss is an abrupt reversal for the world’s richest, who up until today had experienced steady gains.