An HEC Montréal student makes the podium
April 28, 2017
HEC Montréal student Rafael Egal took 3rd place in the 10th Options Trading Simulation held by the Montreal Exchange. The MSc – Finance student finished the period with a 250% return, placing 3rd and winning a $2,500 cash prize.
The competition ran from January 30 to April 7. Rafael earned one of the top results, just behind the teams from the University of Calgary and University of Ottawa.
Over 2,500 participants from 37 Canadian universities took part in the competition, open to full-time undergraduate and Master’s-level students. Participants, on their own or in teams, had an initial virtual account of $100,000 to build an options portfolio and had to use the trading simulator, while respecting a number of mandatory conditions. They had to have liquidated all their positions by the end of the simulation.
This was Rafael’s third time in the competition. He says that his knowledge of derivatives, acquired mainly through his Master’s courses, were a real help. “It’s a matter of patience. You have to hold on for ten weeks and persevere,” he adds.
Rafael was also able to draw on his excellent familiarity with market trading instruments and mechanisms, since he works part-time as an operator in the HEC Montréal trading room.–