The Nairobi Securities Exchange earlier today awarded the team of Michael and Joseph from Kenyatta University who emerged the overall winners of the NSE Investment Challenge 2012; a 3-month long simulation of the Kenyan Stock Market held once every year. Winners of the competition stand to receive 200,000 shillings for investments in securities as well as internship opportunities.

Participants in the challenge are given 2 million shillings virtual investment capital as well as real time market information with which to make trades. The winner(s) of the competition are selected by a panel based on the value of their portfolio at the end of the competition, on how sound their investment decisions were and their participation in the online discussion forum.

This year’s competition was launched in May and saw participants take part from as far as Europe and the USA with a total of 5,621 participants in the challenge.

At the award ceremony earlier today, NSE Chairman Mr. Jonathan Ciano said “The NSE Investment Challenge is the flagship Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of the Nairobi Securities Exchange. We believe that it is our duty as a financial institution to help create a more knowledgeable society by increasing both access and understanding of securities information.”

The NSE Investment Challenge is a partnership between the NSE and Smart Youth Investment Ltd that targets youth in tertiary learning institutions aiming to enhance their skills in financial management and saving among other objectives.