New York – As emerging stock markets surged during the past year, 102 wealthy people around the world won a much-coveted title along with their stellar gains – they became billionaires. But tepid returns in the United States ate into the fortunes of some of the richest Americans, including the founding family of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.
The number of billionaires around the world rose by 102 to a record 793 over the past year, and their combined wealth grew 18 percent to $2.6 trillion, according to Forbes magazine’s 2006 ranking of the world’s richest people.
Six Colorado billionaires made the list: Charlie Ergen, ranked No. 80; Philip Anschutz, No. 89; John Malone, No. 486; Pat Stryker, No. 512; James Leprino, No. 606; and Thomas Bailey, No. 645.
Stan Kroenke, who resides in Missouri but owns the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets, the Pepsi Center and other assets, ranked No. 451 with a net worth estimated at $1.7 billion.
Forbes editor Luisa Kroll noted that Russia’s stock market jumped 108 percent between February 2005 and February 2006, while India’s market rose by more than 54 percent during the same period.
Brazil “was another bright star” with a market gain of 38 percent, she said.
Kroll said the changes on the list weren’t driven by U.S. investments.
“The more exciting story is these emerging markets,” she said. “The U.S. stock market was quite a laggard with only a 1 percent increase.”
And while China’s market grew just 3 percent, the country added eight more billionaires, up from two last year.
Martha Stewart, who was new to the list last year, dropped off completely this year. Her fortune shrank from $1 billion to an estimated $500 million following her conviction for lying about a stock sale and her five-month prison term.
