Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tops list of world's richest people

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates tops list of world's richest people

Forbes, on Monday, released its 2014 list of the world’s richest people, with Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates reclaiming the top spot from Mexico's telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who topped the list for the past four years.

Gates, whose fortune rose by $9 billion in the past year to touch a total of $76 billion, is back on top after a four-year hiatus, while Helu placed second with a net worth of $72 billion, the Forbes report said, adding that rising stock markets helped swell the ranks of the world’s billionaires, which included a record number of women.

  “Our global wealth team found 1,645 billionaires with an aggregate net worth of $6.4 trillion, up from $5.4 trillion a year ago,” the Forbes report said. “We unearthed a record 268 new ten-figure fortunes, including 42 new women billionaires, another record. In total, there are 172 women on the list, more than ever before and up from 138 last year.” While Amancio Ortega, the Spanish founder of clothing conglomerate Inditex SA, retained the third position for the second year in a row at $64 billion, investing icon Warren Buffett stood fourth at $58.2 billion.