Hallam hosts financial trading competition for Sheffield students

8th March 2024

Students from King Ecgbert’s School and Longley Park Sixth Form have been given a taste of the world of financial trading as part of a competition at Sheffield Hallam University.

Sheffield Business School’s financial trading competition saw local economics students given a taste of life as both financial markets traders and financial economists.

Using the Business School’s Bloomberg professional terminals the students bought and sold equities on UK, European and US markets with the aim of making sensible financial decisions.

Following some training from the Business School’s financial services lead Damion Taylor and an economic forecast from senior economics lecturer Dr Drew Woodhouse, the students were given ‘£1 million’ to trade and then lock in to generate profit over a one-month period.

After the month-long holding period, the three students who had grown their £1m by the highest amount received a prize at a ceremony sponsored by the Sheffield Business School’s Department of Finance, Accounting and Business Systems.

Cameron Spearing won the competition after growing their £1m by 19% with Ben Carter and Jonah Cole coming second and third respectively, growing their portfolio by 15%.

Dan Sharp, Head of Economics at King Ecgbert School said:

“Once again we were very lucky to be invited to Sheffield Business School to take part in our annual trading competition. The day provides our economic students with the opportunity to gain a first-hand insight into how financial markets work. They were able to apply the economic knowledge they’d gained in the classroom into a real-world simulation which is invaluable for them when making choices about future pathways.

“Damion and Drew provided them with a short tutorial in the morning on how to make trades and also the current state of the UK economy. The students were then supported in the afternoon when making trades. All students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and spoke very highly of the staff and facilities. We look forward to continuing to develop our relationship with Sheffield Business School in the coming years.”

Drew Woodhouse, senior lecturer in economics, said:

“We are thrilled to extend a warm invitation to our local further education students, offering them a unique opportunity to apply their economic and financial insights in a practical setting. At the core of our mission as a civic university is the dedication to inclusivity and active involvement within our community. Sheffield Business School takes immense pride in fostering local engagement, and it's a joy to champion the field of economics in this endeavour. We continue to offer a rewarding experience of collaborative learning, demonstrating the practical application of economic knowledge in the real world.”