Young people who have considered a career in share trading have been given the chance to enter an investment competition with prizes of more than R200 000 up for grabs for the winners.
The challenge offers high school learners and university students the chance to test their investment skills by managing a virtual portfolio of R 1 million in a simulated trading programme which kicks off in March.
The Johannesburgg Stock Exchange/Libertyy Life Investment Challenge is an annual competition that allows learners to get a grip with the fundamentals of investment strategy by encouraging research and strategy around the trading of JSE-listerd shares over a period of six months.
For 35 years the the challenge has played in a role in educating young people about the ins and outs of investing in the stock market and the larger role that such investment plays in the country’s economy with the idea of securing a better future for them. Thus it is touted as the most specialised and far-reaching educational youth programme in the South African financial sector.
“The competition exposes learners and students to a simulation of the JSE and introduces them to share trading. They are given an imaginative sum of R1 million to invest according to specified risk scenarios within which they manage their portfolios to maximize their growth, ” says Senior General Manager of JSE Education, Maureen Dlamini.
“The JSE/Liberty Life Investment Challenge encourages learners to read financial publications, exposing them to a world of knowledge that will empower them not only financially but also on a personal level.”
The investment challenge runs from March to September and is open to all grade 8 to 12 learners from any South African high school. Students from universities and independent colleges are also eligible to participate. All school entrants must be in teams of four and have to be supervised by a teacher or mentor. Grade 12 learners will need permission of their principal to enter. University teams must consist of a minimum of two members and a maximum of four.
Entrants have a choice of selecting one or more risk portfolios that they wish to take part in for the competition. Teams will receive constant guidance from their supervising teachers and mentors selected by schools. Challenge Co-ordinators at the JSE will also provide assistance on a daily basis.
From March through to September the team with the best performance for the month in each portfolio will win R500 per team member. A further R500 will be awarded to their school as well as another R500 for their teacher or mentor. At the end of the competition, five prizes amounting to R60 000 per portfolio will be awarded to the overall winners of the Income, Equity Growth and Speculator Portfolios.
Registration forms are obtainable from the JSE/Liberty Life Investment Challenge website (http://schools.jse.co.za) or from the Challenge Co-ordinators on 011 – 520 7116/ 7344/ 7168. Each team will be required to pay a registration fee of R120 per team per portfolio entered. Also refer to the website for more details.