Students at Edge Hill University have recently embarked on a thrilling journey into the world of finance, participating in a global stock market competition that saw them face off against more than 10,000 participants from 47 countries. The Trading Challenge, which utilized the cutting-edge Bloomberg Terminal, gave students the opportunity to test their investment skills using a fictitious $1 million to trade and track stock market performance.
The competition aimed to provide students with real-world insights into market dynamics, economic trends, and the impact of global events on financial markets. Paul Marsters, a senior lecturer in Law and Finance at Edge Hill University, emphasized the educational value of the challenge: “The whole objective is to give students a real-world experience of understanding how they can potentially read the markets, read global news, read economic news, and look at how companies operate globally, and consider the impact of external factors on the share price of companies.”
For the students, the challenge presented an exciting, yet intense, simulation of real-world trading. Each participant was allocated $1 million in virtual funds to invest, with the goal of maximizing returns. Throughout the competition, students had the freedom to adjust their portfolios, buying and selling based on market performance and their strategic decisions. The experience closely mirrored the fast-paced environment of financial markets like the New York Stock Exchange, though with a more educational focus.
“The Bloomberg Terminal is used in many careers such as investment banking, asset management, and portfolio management,” Marsters noted, underscoring the importance of gaining proficiency with such tools. Students at Edge Hill are not only gaining valuable experience in trading but also earning certifications through Bloomberg, such as Market Concepts, which enhances their employability.
Lewis Foster, a Business and Economics student, shared his insights into how the competition played out: “We’re currently on 180K profit, a lot of which has come through the presidential election which was won by Trump. Leading up to the election, we were looking at things like Polymarket, which is almost like a betting website where people can come and invest money on either candidate.”
Foster and his team took advantage of predictive market trends and successfully invested in Trump Media shares, as well as cryptocurrency-related stocks like Coinbase and MicroStrategy. With Trump’s pro-Crypto stance and his eventual election win, their strategy paid off significantly. “That’s where a lot of our profits have come from,” Foster added.
Lauren O’Brien, a Business Management student, also shared her experience with the Bloomberg Terminal: “Using the Bloomberg Terminal has been a game-changer for me. As I got the hang of it, it opened a whole new world of insights. It’s been amazing to dive into real-time market information, company performance, and economic trends—all in one place.”
O’Brien reflected on how the competition pushed her to apply everything she had learned in a real-world setting: “The Bloomberg Global Challenge was an experience I’ll never forget. It was a mix of excitement and nerves, competing against people from all over the world. There was a lot of pressure to perform, but at the same time, it pushed me to apply everything I’d learned in a real-world scenario.”
The Trading Challenge has proven to be an invaluable learning experience for students at Edge Hill University. Not only has it provided them with practical skills that are directly applicable to their future careers, but it has also given them a deeper understanding of the forces that shape financial markets. As they prepare for the world of work, these students are gaining a competitive edge by mastering industry-standard tools and real-time trading strategies.
Edge Hill University’s commitment to enhancing employability through innovative educational opportunities is clear. With the growing importance of financial literacy and digital tools like the Bloomberg Terminal, these students are well-equipped to enter the competitive world of finance.
