JSE Investment Challenge
 
The high school learners and university students who took the top positions in this year’s JSE Investment Challenge have outperformed the JSE’s Top40 and All Share Indices as well as some of the country’s top fund managers.
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange announced the winners of the JSE Investment Challenge, South Africa’s largest financial literacy initiative, during a ceremony at their Sandton offices this afternoon. In the Schools Challenge the winning teams across Income, Equity and Speculator portfolios receive prize money of R180 000.00. In the University Challenge the top three prizes are valued at R60 000.

Idris Seedat, Manager: CSI at the JSE says these novice traders have performed exceptionally well. “The winning teams have generated exceptional investment returns. Although the participants in the Investment Challenge trade in a risk-free environment because they hold virtual portfolios, the competition still requires them to weigh different investment options against each other and to manage their portfolios to maximize returns.”
 
The JSE Investment Challenge took place for the 41st year in 2014 and requires high school learners and university students to invest an imaginary sum of R1 million in JSE listed shares. The Challenge took place from 10 March to 26 September this year and the top performing teams managed to grow their portfolios by between 12% and 62%. In this period, the JSE’s All Share Index climbed by just over 4,1% and the Top40 Index by just over 3,4%.
 
In the Equity category, the Neverest team from Hoërskool D.F. Malan in Durbanville took first place with members Luke Nel, Tonia Schoeman, Henro Spangenberg and Rouxle Schmeisser growing their portfolio by 62%. Zafar Moosa, Muhammed Dhoda, Muhhamed Jooma and Muhhamad Essa, from the Master Investors team from Maritzburg College in Pietermaritzburg came second by growing their portfolio by 40%. Lucrum Investors Trader, also from Hoërskool D.F. Malan came in third with portfolio growth of 36%. The team consists of Stefan Jordaan, Francis Stoffberg, Iza Mari Gaybba and Marli Ann Opperman.
 
The Dream Team 21, from Reddam House Atlantic Seaboard in Cape Town, has claimed first place in the Income Portfolio, with learners Hannah May Wiltshire and Shannon Boyd. This team added income of just over R35 000 to their portfolio. The Meth Busters from Kingsway High School in Amanzimtoti came in at close second with income of R33 600. This team consists of Thom Reimeringer Visser, Kailish Rajh, Brandon Hall and Jason le Roux. Conquer Divide-DCS from the Dominican Convent School in Johannesburg took third place with an income of R32 700. The team members are Vuyo Mpako, Itumeleng Nxumala, Thabo Dube and Fanele Sibiya.
 
In the Speculator Portfolio, the winning team is Super Traders 2.0 from Maritzburg College with team members Mohamed Ebrahim Asmall, Muhammad Riyadh Aziz, Dylan Grubb, Ryan Hodgeson. This team grew their portfolio by 26%. PBHS Bankers from Pretoria Boys High School grew their portfolio by 17% to come in second. The team members are Brandon Fekete, Marthinus Erasmus, Werner Reyneke and Jimmy Fischer. Pretoria Boys High also took third place PBHS Sur+ Traders V3.0 growing their portfolio by 12%. The team members are Dean Pillay, Ruben Mpanya, Kofi Snaman and Kamohelo Motaung.
 
For the high schools, in first place each of the four team members will receive R4000; second place team members receive R2500 each, third place R2000 each and in fourth as well as fifth place team members receive R1000 each. In addition to the learners being rewarded, successful schools and their mentors also take home winnings.
 
In the University Challenge, the winning team in the University Speculator portfolio is team 311 SWB, consisting of Brian Masondo and Wesley Bohata, from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. Masondo and Bohata grew their portfolio by 40%. This lucky team walks away with R25 000 in winnings. Team Bearing the Bull from the University of Witwatersrand scooped second place. Its members, Christopher Conrady and Michael Daniel won R20 000 by growing their portfolio by 38%. Futurnity from the University of Pretoria came third and won R15 000. Team members Conradie Fourie, JanJan De Beer, Luhard Jansen van Vuuren and Marco Bence grew their portfolio by 34%.
 
Seedat says, “The Challenge hopes to increase financial literacy and knowledge of investment tools in South Africa. For us it is incredibly satisfying to see financial literacy being taken so seriously. The high level of participation shows that the annual competition for school learners and university students is making an impact and changing the financial landscape of South Africa.”
 
“Congratulations to all the winners of the JSE Investment Challenge. This year’s winners have shown excellent teamwork, initiative and are an outstanding example of what we aim to achieve with this project,” concludes Seedat.
 
Registrations for next year’s challenge commence again in January next year. To register for 2015, each team will be required to pay a fee of R120 per team per portfolio entered for schools and R150 per team for Universities. To find out more about next year’s Challenge visit: http://schools.jse.co.za or http://university.jse.co.za and the interactive mobisite: http://schools.jse.co.za/mobile or http://university.jse.co.za/mobile or contact the Investment Challenge Co-ordinators on 011 – 520 7116/ 7344/ 7168. For further information, registration forms and interaction visit the Facebook and Twitter pages:
 
For more information:
 
Schools Challenge
 
The schools challenge is targeted at secondary school learners.
 
Any South African secondary school may enter one or more teams.
Team members must be in grades 8, 9, 10 or 11 to be eligible to participate (it is recommended that learners in grades 8 and 9 participate in the income game).
Grade 12 learners may also participate with the permission of the school principal.
A team must consist of four members only.
Each school must have a supervising teacher or mentor.
 
The JSE Investment Challenge is the largest financial literacy initiative in South Africa. This annual competition which will be running in its 42nd year in 2015 is open to all South African high school learners as well as students from universities and independent colleges with the aim to educate them on the ins and outs of trading on the stock market. The winners have gained exposure and experience on financial and life skills such as budgeting, economic research and team work. This in turn assists the learners in deciding on their future career paths.
 
University Challenge
 
The university challenge is targeted at all tertiary institutions.
 
All university students are eligible, but they must be currently registered with the same institution and may form teams - irrespective of field of study of team members. Each participating team may not be less than two members or more than four members at a time.
 
To register go to: university.jse.co.za
 
About the JSE
 
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange is based in South Africa where it has operated as a market place for the trading of financial products for 125 years. It connects buyers and sellers in equity, derivative and debt markets. The JSE is one of the top 20 exchanges in the world in terms of market capitalisation and is a member of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). The JSE offers a fully electronic, efficient, secure market with world class regulation, trading and clearing systems, settlement assurance and risk management. www.jse.co.za
 
For further information, please visit jse.co.za