The ongoing feud between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, which initially involved their social media platforms, has now taken a potential turn towards a physical confrontation in a cage fight. While it remains uncertain if the fight will materialize, the two tech billionaires have seen fluctuations in their net worths this week.
Musk, currently the world's richest person with a net worth of $234 billion, experienced a loss of $2.6 billion, whereas Zuckerberg, with a net worth of $102 billion, gained $2.7 billion.
The week proved challenging for several billionaires as all three major U.S. stock indices declined over 1%, impacting the fortunes of many wealthy individuals. Notable declines were observed in the net worths of Larry Ellison, Colin Zheng Huang, and Warren Buffett.
Buffett's net worth decreased by $5.5 billion, primarily due to his annual donation of $4.6 billion worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares to charitable foundations, including The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Ellison, on the other hand, sold over half a billion dollar's worth of Oracle stock, but the timing was unfavorable as the software giant's share price experienced a 5.4% decline, resulting in a loss of $7.6 billion for Ellison.
Huang, the founder of PDD Holdings, faced a $3.5 billion decrease in net worth as shares of his company fell by 12.6% amid challenges in the e-commerce sector.
Larry Ellison, the world's fourth-richest person with a net worth of $149 billion, engaged in stock transactions this week, selling a portion of his Oracle shares and generating $638 million before taxes. Despite this, Ellison still holds over a billion shares, representing approximately 42% of the company.
Warren Buffett's net worth declined by $5.5 billion as a result of his generous donations to various foundations, continuing his tradition of philanthropy. Berkshire Hathaway shares experienced a 0.8% decrease in value, aligning with the broader market slump.
Colin Zheng Huang, founder of PDD Holdings, saw his net worth decrease by $3.5 billion due to a 12.6% drop in the company's shares. PDD Holdings, which operates discount e-commerce platforms Pinduoduo and Temu, has faced challenges from price wars and short sellers.
Elon Musk, with a net worth of $243 billion, experienced a $2.6 billion loss in wealth as Tesla stock encountered a significant decline, partly influenced by a downgrade in the company's rating by Barclays. Additionally, Musk's challenge to Mark Zuckerberg for a cage fight, prompted by Meta's Twitter competitor, Meta Threads, added an element of intrigue to their ongoing rivalry.
Mark Zuckerberg, valued at $102 billion, saw his net worth increase by $2.7 billion. Despite facing business challenges, such as the implementation of a Canadian law that requires internet companies to pay news publishers for content, Meta's stock continued to climb due to investor optimism surrounding the company's cost-cutting measures. Zuckerberg, who owns approximately 16% of Meta Platforms, benefited from this positive trajectory.
In summary, the fortunes of these billionaires fluctuated throughout the week, reflecting the broader market conditions and individual circumstances surrounding their respective companies and charitable activities.
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