Mexico's Carlos Slim Is Still the Richest, but Bill Gates Is Gaining

Carlos Slim’s title as the world’s richest person is increasingly in jeopardy. The Mexican mogul’s lead over the next-wealthiest man, Bill Gates, has narrowed to about $4.7 billion as of March 5—he led by as much as $14.5 billion in January. The Lebanese immigrant’s son, who turned Mexico’s phone monopoly into a pan-Latin American powerhouse, lost almost 10 percent of his net worth last month. His fortune is now $71.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.