The Guernsey Investment & Funds Association has announced the commencement of its Schools Investment Challenge for the academic year 2024/25.
This competitive stock-picking investment challenge opened to all Guernsey students in years 10-13 and began on 1st October 2024, running until 31st March
2025.
Over 150 teams have registered from Guernsey’s educational institutions, including Elizabeth College, Ladies College, Blanchelande College, The Sixth Form Centre, Les Varendes High School, and Les Beaucamps, collectively representing more than 300 Guernsey students participating in this year’s challenge.
Once again, the program has been structured into two age categories: years 10 & 11 and years 12 & 13, fostering broad participation and interest in investing among upper-year students.
Each team, composed of up to 3 members, is tasked with selecting two stocks from a curated list of twelve well known companies, including Airbnb, L’Oreal, and Netflix. Teams will submit their chosen stocks by the end of each month, with the option to modify their investments or maintain their current position. A brief rationale for any investment adjustments or the decision to retain their existing stocks is requested. The total returns of each team will be calculated at the end of the competition in March 2025, and prizes will be awarded to the top three teams in each age category. In the event of a tie for first place, the winning team will be evaluated based on the quality of their trade rationales. An additional significant prize will be awarded for the entrant with the best rationales over the course of the competition, to encourage research and engagement.
Five local sponsors, Butterfield Bank, Rocq Capital, White Star Capital, Ravenscroft and Rathbones are supporting the Guernsey Investment & Funds Association (GIFA) to run this year’s challenge.
The initiative, conceived by the Managers’ Subcommittee at GIFA, aims to raise awareness and interest in investment and finance among Guernsey’s next generation.
Harry Bazzaz (pictured), Chair of the GIFA Manager’s Subcommittee commented: “I have been delighted to see so many students signing up this year, with entries from all the island’s schools for the first time. With the US election only weeks away, geopolitical developments in the Middle East never far from the headlines and developments in artificial intelligence changing the landscape for many companies, this promises to be an interesting and unpredictable six months in financial markets. We are looking forward to seeing how the students get on, particularly as their trade rationales develop over the course of the competition. This is now
an important part of the Investment Challenge and we hope it will lead to a high level of engagement and further interest in the financial services sector as they begin to think about their future career paths.
“Investment management is an important part of Guernsey’s economy and one where fresh ideas and perspectives are vital, so our industry can only benefit from increasing visibility and access for the next generation. Best of luck to all students and thank you to the schools and teachers for encouraging participation!”
