Billionaires Worth $3.7 Trillion Surge as Gates Wins 2013

The richest people on the planet got even richer in 2013, adding $524 billion to their collective net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, a daily ranking of the world’s 300 wealthiest individuals.
Read more: Bloomberg news

Facebook Sued Over Alleged Scanning of Private Messages

Facebook Inc. was sued over allegations it systematically intercepts its users private messages on the social network and profits by sharing the data with advertisers and marketers.
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Homebuyers Missing Housing Rebound Depend on Yellen

Adam Bregman, a 28-year-old Florida attorney who lives with his mom, said he hopes 2014 is the year he finally buys a home of his own.
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Beanie Baby Billionaire Seeks to Avoid Jail for Tax Crime

H. Ty Warner, the billionaire creator of Beanie Baby plush toys, asked a judge to give him probation, not prison, for evading taxes on secret Swiss accounts that held as much as $107 million.
Read more: Bloomberg news

Obamacare Medicaid Expansion to Worsen Hospital ER Burden

Emergency rooms may be a preferred choice for care among 3.9 million people newly enrolled in the U.S. Medicaid program for the poor, according to a study that suggests Obamacare’s costs may be higher than expected.
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Fiat Gains Full Control of Chrysler in $4.35 Billion Deal

Fiat SpA secured full ownership of Chrysler Group LLC in a $4.35 billion agreement that will conserve the Italian company’s cash while creating a global carmaker with better scale to take on General Motors Co.
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New Year Storm to Dump Foot of Snow From NYC to Boston

Almost a foot of snow is forecast for the New York area, potentially snarling travel across the U.S. Northeast following the New Year’s Day holiday. The storm may give way to the coldest temperatures so far this season.
Read more: Bloomberg news

Pot Shops in Denver Open Door to $578 Million in Sales

Toni Fox plans to open the doors of her Denver marijuana shop at 8 a.m. tomorrow to a line of customers including some who camped overnight to be the first in the U.S. to legally buy pot for recreational use.
Read more: Bloomberg news

Gold Bulls Retrench as Price Drops Most in 32 Years: Commodities

Hedge funds got less bullish on gold for the seventh time in eight weeks as the U.S. economy strengthens and inflation fails to accelerate, driving prices to the biggest annual drop in more than three decades.
Read more: Bloomberg news

Gold Caps Biggest Annual Rout Since ’81 as Investors Lose Faith

Gold futures, which reached a six- month low today, posted the biggest annual slump in three decades as an improving economy cut demand for wealth protection. Silver touched the lowest since July.
Read more: Bloomberg news