Hong Kong  - Li Ka-shing, Asia's richest man outside India, has lost more than 10 billion US dollars of his fortune in the past year, Forbes business magazine said Thursday in its list of the world's richest people.

The 80-year-old Hong Kong tycoon has seen his wealth fall from 26.5 billion US dollars to 16.2 billion US dollars this year, the magazine said.

The loss saw him drop from 11th to 16th on the list of the world's wealthiest, but he remained the richest man in Asia outside India, the annual survey concluded.

The Forbes global list was topped by Microsoft Corp's Bill Gates with 40 billion US dollars, followed by investment guru Warren Buffett with 37 billion US dollars.

Indian petrochemicals tycoon Mukesh Ambani and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal finished seventh and eighth, respectively, with fortunes estimated at 19.5 and 19.3 billion US dollars.

Li, a widower with two sons, arrived in Hong Kong a penniless immigrant before building a vast fortune through his Cheung Kong and Hutchison Whampoa conglomerates.

His businesses include the world's largest operator of container terminals, the world's biggest health and beauty retailer, a major electricity supplier in Hong Kong and a real estate developer. (dpa)