CURRICULUM// BUSINESS & ECONOMICS
NATIONAL
INVESTMENT
CHALLENGE
The investment skills of two teams
of Business and Economics students
earned them a place in the semi-finals of
a national Student Investor Challenge.
Lower Sixth Formers Luke Potter,
Jonty Goddard, Oli Robinson and Pete
Massey, who competed under the name
of RPG Trading, and Lower Sixth
Formers Ernest Kwong, and Jeff Tse
and Upper Sixth Formers Anson Mao
and Peter Wu, who together are R.E.J
Trading.
In the initial stages of the competition
the teams invested virtual money in
the London stock exchange and other
investment instruments to create two
portfolios, each worth £100,000, which
they managed by following the ups
and downs of the market in real time,
judging when to buy and sell in order to
make a virtual profit.
Two of our teams finished in the top
10% of around 5,000 teams who
entered the competition, staged by the
London Institute of Banking & Finance.
They went on to compete against 500
other semi-finalists for four weeks from
19 February until 16 March.
For each week of the semi-finals, teams
were given a selection of different
investments on Monday morning with
the aim of correctly predicting the
closing price of these given assets by
the end of trading each Friday using
accurate and detailed research. This is
a test of their problem solving, research
and team work skills which Andrew
Goodwin a Portfolio Manager and
Partner at Oldfield Partners in London
who visited Pocklington School to give
advice and support during the semifinal
explained was “ a very difficult task-
with so many variables to take into
account”.
Both Pocklington teams experienced
success during the semifinal. RPG
trading at two points during the four
weeks led the entire competition
and were the team to beat and R.E.J
Trading after a tough 1st week climbed
over 60 places in the space of five days.
However this year was very competitive
and definitely not easy. The political and
economical climate were very unstable
and the third and fourth week were no
exception with RPG trading holding
every place from 1st to 30th. They
ultimately finishing just outside the top
8 teams. They were an agonising 4%
short of the score required to earn a
place in the final.
trading finished in 19th place which
places them in the top 1% of teams
who started the competition nationally.
R.E.J Trading finished in 99th place
which puts them amongst the top 2% of
teams. Congratulations to both teams
for a fantastic effort.
Economics and Business Studies teacher
Robin Crewes said: “It’s a fantastic
achievement as this was a tough year
for the markets, making it even more
competitive.”
“A special mention must go to Luke
and Ernest who led their teams
with determination, enthusiasm and
resilience.”
The semi-finals of the UK’s Premier
investor Challenge ended with the two
teams from Pocklington just missing
out on the live national final. RPG
THE POCKLINGTONIAN
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