A stock market rebound on Monday, 12 May, added $50 billion to the wealth of four of the world’s top tech billionaires, as investors reacted sharply to a pause in tariff issues between the United States (U.S.) and China.
Mark Zuckerberg was the biggest winner. Meta’s CEO saw his net worth jump by $16 billion, reaching $220.9 billion. This places him as the third-richest person alive.
The reason was that Meta shares surged after markets digested news of easing global trade pressures. His 13% stake in the company continues to pay off as confidence grows in Meta’s move toward the metaverse and artificial intelligence.
Jeff Bezos came next. The Amazon founder added $14.2 billion to his fortune, which now sits at $223.6 billion. Even though he stepped down as CEO in 2021, he still owns just under 10% of Amazon.
The company’s shares jumped 8%, driven by hopes that reduced trade friction will cut down import costs, good news for Amazon’s sellers who source heavily from China.
Elon Musk wasn’t left behind. Tesla’s stock rose, and with it, Musk’s net worth increased by $11.3 billion. That puts him at $406.9 billion, maintaining his top spot as the richest man in the world.
Investors were not only bullish on Tesla, but also on xAI, his artificial intelligence firm valued at $50 billion. Musk holds 42% of SpaceX and about 12% of Tesla, although much of his Tesla stock is pledged as collateral.
Oracle Co-founder Larry Ellison rounded out the top four, gaining $8.2 billion. He now holds $196.1 billion in wealth, putting him fourth globally. His fortune is closely tied to Oracle’s growth trajectory, with Ellison owning about 40% of the company.
Oracle’s share price rose off the back of growing expectations around AI-driven enterprise software demand and large-scale acquisitions like Cerner.
This sudden market rally wasn’t isolated. The entire “Magnificent 7”—Apple, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, Alphabet, Tesla, and Nvidia—gained $837.5 billion in market value in just one day, making it the largest single-day jump for the group since early April.
Tech investors took the tariff pause between the U.S. and China as a sign of temporary stability. It doesn’t mean the trade issue is over, but it offered a window of relief.
Supply chain disruptions have affected chipmakers and consumer tech brands alike. This move led to immediate confidence, particularly in the semiconductor sector.
Nvidia, AMD, Qualcomm, and Broadcom all rose by roughly 5–6%. Marvell led the chipmakers, jumping 8%. Apple also rose 6%, despite warning it may still face $900 million in added costs this quarter due to previously announced tariffs.
Chinese tech stocks listed in New York—Alibaba, Baidu, JD.com—saw their own bump. European chipmakers like ASML and Infineon followed suit.
