Enter the Student Investor challenge and win a trip to New York
Wannabe student stock traders can test their maths and economics knowledge against schools around the UK.
21st October 2019 16:00
by Stephen Little from interactive investor
Wannabe student stock traders can test their maths and economics knowledge against schools around the country.
Last week, The London Institute of Banking and Finance's annual Student Investor Challenge was launched.
Last year, over 37,000 students from schools around the country took part in the competition which sees them trading virtual shares for a chance to compete at the live final in London.
The top 500 teams – those that make the most profit in phase one – progress to the semi-final to compete for a place in the live final.
There are some exciting prizes to be won, including a trip to New York for the winners. There will even be a trip to the New York Stock Exchange which is not usually open to the public.
Catherine Winter, head of financial capability at The London Institute of Banking and Finance, says: "The Student Investor Challenge is a fantastic competition, not only helping young people develop a range of skills that will stand them in good stead for life but also helping them put theories learned in school into real context.
"It helps young people put their maths and economics knowledge to work, engage with the finance sector and understand more about how it works. It also improves financial capability and helps them to develop important soft skills such as teamwork and communication. And it's fun of course."
What is the Student Investor Challenge?
The Student Investor Challenge is designed for students aged 14-19. It is free to enter and is open to schools in the UK and internationally.
Teams from schools around the UK compete against each other by trading two virtual portfolios worth £100,000 over a four-month period.
Each month, the team with the most improved active investor portfolio will be rewarded with a prize (maximum one award per group).
Trading is just like real life with feeds from Bloomberg and the real costs of trading included.
In the final, teams undertake more trading challenges and deliver a presentation to a panel of financial experts to demonstrate their knowledge of investing and macro-economics, and how they could be applied to individuals with different investment objectives.
When is it?
The first phase of the competition will run until 24 January 2020. The top 500 teams will progress to the semi-finals which take place from 17 February to 13 March 2020.
The top eight teams will compete in the live finals in April and May.
Registration closes on 15 November. Schools can enter multiple teams, with each team made up of four students.
The competition is free to enter and doesn't require classroom time.
For more information on the Student Investor Challenge, please visit studentinvestor.org or follow @StudentsInvest on Twitter.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.
This article was originally published in our sister magazine Moneywise, which ceased publication in August 2020.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.
These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided by third parties. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment adviser.
Full performance can be found on the company or index summary page on the interactive investor website. Simply click on the company's or index name highlighted in the article.