NEW YORK – Among the world’s richest people, Warren Buffett is among the rare few whose personal fortunes have grown in 2025 after us President Donald Trump’s tariffs triggered a sell-off that erased trillions of dollars of value from global equities.
Mr Buffett’s net worth has climbed US$11.5 billion (S$15.6 billion) this year to US$153.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That’s despite a US$14.5 billion decline since April 2, when the investment guru’s net worth reached its highest level in five years.
Mr Buffett, 94, is now the world’s fourth-richest person and one of only two of the top 20 people on the list have added to their wealth this year. The other is L’Oreal SA heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, who gained US$1.8 billion and stands at No. 19 on Bloomberg’s ranking.
The world’s 500 richest people lost more than US$500 billion in the two trading sessions that followed Mr Trump’s announcement. Elon Musk, who remains the world’s richest person, lost US$134.7 billion so far this year. His fortune fell to US$297.8 billion on April 7, marking the first time his net worth has dropped below US$300 billion since November.
Shares of Mr Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway have dropped 8.8 per cent since April 2, compared with the 10.7 per cent drop for the S&P 500.
The conglomerate’s comparatively strong performance reflects how the property and casualty sector remain relatively insulated from global trade. It’s also likely that some investors anticipate that Mr Buffett will jump on the rout to make a large purchase.
In recent quarters, he has shied away from major deals, instead slashing his stake in Apple and trimming his holding of Bank of America Corp, two firms whose shares have declined by double-digits since Mr Trump’s announcement. BLOOMBERG
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MDDI (P) 048/10/2024. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2025 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.
