The smart investor: scholarship champion at 18

In this column, we give you concrete ideas to place your money.

It is an 18 -year -old cégépian who won the great honors of the largest stock market simulation in. Similarly, Quebec. In addition, But no question for her to apply her winning strategy to her real investments!

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Since 1987. For example, the Bourstad competition has allowed young people to familiarize themselves with the financial markets by creating a fictitious portfolio made up of actions and fixed income securities.

This year, more than 3000 people – especially high school students and college students – have taken part in the competition.

Roller coaster

The participants were smart investor: scholarship champion 18 treated to real roller coaster – stock market. Meanwhile, emotional – since the competition took place from February 10 to April 11. Similarly, Remember: global scholarships plunged more than 12% from April 2 to 8 because of the tariff war launched by Donald Trump.

Those who thought they were winning the competition in early April were bitterly disappointed!

In her category. Moreover, Émilie Sallaud, a student at the Bois-de-Boulogne college, won the National Grand Prix for Global Performance and the Grand Prix for Portfolio Management.

$ 200. 000 to place

Like all other participants, she had to place $ 200,000 respecting the profile of a fictitious customer. Émilie was investing in a 35 -year -old teacher, earning an all the same enviable salary of $ 95,000 per year.

Just before the fall in early April, Emilie’s portfolio was worth more than $ 206,000. He then plunged under $ 195,000 before regaining colors with the fast as it is spectacular in markets.

“It was a whole experience, for sure,” she summarizes.

Émilie finished the simulation at just over $ 200,000 while the portfolio of most participants plunged into the red.

She finished at 35^e smart investor: scholarship champion 18 Rank for financial performance (the good old return). but at the forefront for overall performance, which also includes portfolio management and responsible investment.

Emilie Sallaud’s wallet

Apple (AAPL)

Banque Scotia (Bns.to)

Brookfield Corporation (BN.TO)

EQB (EQB.TO)

GFL Environmental (GFL.TO)

Hydro One (H.TO)

Loblaw (L.TO)

Canadian royal currency (Canadian Gold Reserve) (MNT.TO)

Trisura Group (TSU.TO)

FNB Indicational short -term Canadian bonds Vanguard (VSB.TO)

Flat but paying!

Émilie played caution by opting for well -established business titles like Apple. the retail giant Loblaw, the Scotia bank, the Hydro One electricity distributor and the Brookfield financial firm.

She also chose less known companies such as EQB (fair bank), GFL Environmental (waste management) and Trisura (specialized insurance).

Finally. she completed her portfolio with a negotiated stock market (FNB) of short -term bonds (a hypersûr title) and a specialized product that follows the price of gold.

In short, a rather boring portfolio, but smart investor: scholarship champion 18 which turned out to be a winning in the middle of a storm!

Luckily?

That said, don’t ask Émilie to boast of her performance.

“It’s always a bit likely,” she said with lucidity. “In another economic moment, I could have done the same thing and I would not have won. I am still very aware of that. ”

“I did not predict the future. I did not know what was going to happen with the market, but I still remained more or less cautious, which made that if it had rose enormously, it is certain that I would not have won.”

Émilie still made her chance. She spent a lot of time studying different companies before making her choices, which very few investors do.

“Excel was my best friend,” she laughs.

Even if Émilie loved to participate in the competition (and even more winning it. I imagine), the exercise did smart investor: scholarship champion 18 not give her the taste for the selection of these titles in real life.

“My personal money, I place it in index FNBs which follow the Nasdaq. Like that, I know that I don’t have to stress on it. I leave it there for the next 30 years. ”

I am sure that, like me, many of you will say: if only I had his wisdom at his age!