ECONOMICS and Business Studies students from Alderley Edge School for Girls are again out to prove the stock market is not just for male city traders by taking part in an investment competition.

Knutsford-based wealth management firm, Equilibrium Asset Management, has returned to the school to share the golden rules of investments, how shares and funds work and how to manage risk.

The girls, aged 15 to 17, will each be given an investment pot of £300 which they will manage over a four-month period.

Regular updates from Equilibrium will let them know how their investments are performing, and the student whose investments earn the highest return will be the winner.

Last year’s champion, Sarah Ekin, made an impressive 9.02 per cent profit on the £300 investment fund she was given at the start of the fantasy investment league.

With stock markets at much higher levels than last year, students will have to go some way to top last year’s performance, according to Mike Deverell, investment manager at Equilibrium Asset Management.

Mike said: “The aim of the league is to educate young people on how the stock market works and how global events can have an impact on the UK economy.

“The students will be able to make changes to their investments, which should encourage them to take an interest in the economy as a whole.

“Last year we saw that many students paid a lot of attention to global news and how the impact of events affected the way they chose to invest.”

Susan Goff, headmistress of Alderley Edge School for Girls, said: “We are pleased to be working alongside Equilibrium again on this school investment project.

“It’s a great way to make learning more interactive and to support the girls in learning about real life economic issues. I know this year’s students are excited to be part of the project.”

The student who makes the most profit across her portfolio receive an investment certificate and an iPad. Equilibrium will make a £250 donation and give any profits the girls make from their investments to the school.