Pupils from schools across North East Scotland where given a chance to experience the excitement and the adrenalin rush of dealing on a live stock market trading floor in a competition with other regional schools. This was the seventh annual Stock Market Challenge, sponsored by BNP Paribas Securities Services.

25 teams traded in company stocks and foreign exchanges, just like brokers do on trading floors across the world every day. The teams began the game with £13,400 worth of shares and euros. The object of the game was to maximise your team’s portfolio by buying and selling shares in the nine listed companies and trading the euro. The game is divided into five days each day lasting 20 minutes with five players in each team: Finance Manager, Investment Analyst, Media Analyst, Floor Trader (buyer) and Floor Trader (seller)

As the Media Analysts discussed the first trades of the day with the Investment Analysts you could feel the tension in the room. The first trading bell of the day rang out and 50 floor traders descend on the brokers to make their first transaction. Throughout the trading days the teams received information from TV, financial newspapers, radio News bulletins and news flashes which may have affect their investments. Tough decisions were being made throughout the day as everyone was keen to win.

Looking at the final results it looks like we have some potential traders ready to take on the real world;

1st Bell Baxter High School, £115,740 (132,546 €)

2nd Carnoustie High, £51,329 (58,782 €)

3rd Braeview Academy, £50,685 (58,045 €)

The winning team had a French pupil who was certainly a whiz when it came to trading the Euro. Feedback from the pupils was very positive all enjoying the experience and learning a lot. The only negative being the lunch provided which was too healthy… BNP Paribas Securities Services are also sponsoring the event in Glasgow this year.