The world's 12 wealthiest people got richer by $36 billion in a day - and have now gained $264 billion in net worth this year

• The 12 wealthiest people on the planet grew $36 billion richer on Thursday.
• Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and their peers have added $264 billion to their fortunes this year.
• Their net worths have ballooned thanks to the stock market's blistering rally this year.

The world's 12 richest people added $36 billion to their fortunes on Thursday — and have now gained $264 billion in combined net worth this year, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows.

Their wealth has soared thanks to the stock market's powerful rally. The S&P 500 climbed 2% on Thursday and is now up 8% this year, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq rose 2.4% and has gained 17% in 2023.