Economics and Business Studies students from Alderley Edge School for Girls are once again out to prove the stock market is not just for male city traders by taking part in the investment competition.
Wilmslow-based wealth management firm, Equilibrium Asset Management has returned to the school for the third year running to share the golden rules of investments, how shares and funds work and how to manage risk.
The girls aged 15 to 17 will each be given an investment pot of £300 which they will manage over a four month period. Regular updates from Equilibrium will let them know how their investments are performing and the student whose investments earn the highest return will be the winner.
Last year's champion, Sorcha Chadwick, made a healthy 5.04 per cent profit on the £300 investment fund she was given at the start of the fantasy investment league.
The general principal of investing is to buy low and sell high and the students are going to have to do their research and keep up to date with the news to profit according to Mike Deverell, investment manager at Equilibrium Asset Management.
Mike said: "The aim of the league is to educate young people on how the stock market works and how global events can have an impact on the UK economy. The students will be able to make changes to their investments which should encourage them to take an interest in the economy as a whole.
"Last year we saw that many students paid a lot of attention to global news and how the impact of events affected the way they chose to invest. It was challenging as some markets did much better than others resulting in a range from minus five per cent to plus five per cent."
Susan Goff, headmistress of Alderley Edge School for Girls, said: "We are pleased to be working alongside Equilibrium once again on this investment project. It's a great way to make learning more interactive and to support the girls in learning about real life economic issues. This year's students are excited to be part of the project and to challenge them further we've put them up against the teachers this time! Everyone is already reading up on the latest news to stay ahead of the competition."
The student who makes the most profit across her portfolio will be presented with an investment certificate and awarded an iPad. Equilibrium will also make a £250 donation to the winner's house charity and give any profits the girls make from their investments to the school.
Photo: The pupils from Alderley Edge School for Girls with investment manager Mike Deverell at the launch of the annual Equilibrium Fantasy Investment league.
