This is how Amazon boss Jeff Bezos became richer by $6.5 bn in a day

Despite all the gloom and widespread financial crisis due to coronavirus caused covid 19 pandemic, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos became richer by $6.5 bn in just 1 day.

Reuters photo. Richer by $6.5 bn in a day!

Despite all the gloom and widespread financial crisis due to coronavirus caused covid 19 pandemic, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos became richer by $6.5 bn in just 1 day. This all happened because Amazon stock soared over 5 per cent to an all-time high of over $2,283 per share, leaving the ecommerce giant worth $1.1 trillion and adding $6.5 billion to Bezos' fortune. Amazon has been a favourite among 'sheltered-at-home' investors because of an unprecedented surge in online orders and the company keeping its workflow going despite health fears among its warehouse workers.

According to a Forbes report on Tuesday, Amazon stock surged 5.3 per cent on Tuesday, hitting a new record close of $2,283 per share. The stock is now up over 20 per cent so far this year, outpacing the benchmark index. "Amazon is the first major company to rebound from the coronavirus market selloff, which started in late February: It's one out of only 28 stocks in the S&P 500 to do so," said the report.

To help its employees during the crisis, Amazon also increased pay for employees by $2 per hour in the U.S., Canadian dollar 2 per hour in Canada, and 2 euros per hour in many EU countries.

TRENDING NOW

Bezos currently owns an 11.2 per cent stake in Amazon, with a net worth at $138 billion now. His ex-wife Mackenzie Bezos, who owns about 4 per cent of Amazon, saw her net worth rise by $2.2 billion, to reach $44.8 billion. Amazon is now world's second-largest company after Microsoft which is worth $1.32 trillion.

The e-tailer is set to allow third-party sellers to start shipping nonessential items to its warehouses this week as it ramps up efforts to supply the essential items in the challenging COVID-19 times.

कोरोना वायरस से लड़ना है, सैनिटाइजर इस्तेमाल करना है#StayHomeSaveLifes #COVID19 #StayHome @AnilSinghvi_ pic.twitter.com/lyImUmwf5r

— Zee Business (@ZeeBusiness) April 15, 2020

After filling 100,000 new jobs announced in March, e-commerce giant Amazon is planning to add 75,000 more, to help meet surge in demand due to the CVID-19 crisis. As more and more people rely on home deliveries to source the supplies of their daily needs, Amazon said it is "looking for talent in every community where we operate".

TAGS:

Amazon Jeff Bezos