The High School Market Simulation Challenge
The High School Market Simulation Challenge provides exceptional high school students with an introduction to the field of finance and an opportunity to learn through simulated business scenarios. Students will participate in a morning workshop designed to introduce them to financial markets and the RIT Market Simulator platform, then in the afternoon they will have the opportunity to demonstrate their newly learned skills through a Market Simulation Challenge using the RIT Market Simulator. No prior preparation is necessary for this challenge, and all required resources will be provided before and during the competition.
Registration Dates
Registration Opens
March 5th, 2025 at 5:00 pm EST
Registration Closes
April 23rd, 2025 at 12:00 pm EST
Fees
This competition is free to attend.
Registration Process
In-Person Registration
Online Registration
Overflow Room Registration
Email Registration
Teachers can register their students by emailing the following information to the R/C team, mark.berkovich@utoronto.ca.
School Details
- School Name
Student Details
- Surname, First Name (Preferred Name)
- Grade
- Date of Birth
- Email Address
Schedule
April 30 2025
- 9:30 am – 10:00 am | Registration and Set-up
- 10:00 am – 11:30 am | Introduction and Workshop
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm | Break
- 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm | Challenge – RIT
- 1:30 pm – 2:00 pm | Awards Ceremony
Location
St. George Campus
BMO Financial Group Finance Research and Trading Lab
Rotman School of Management
Room 290, North Building
105 St. George St.
Toronto, ON M5S 3E6
Canada
Individuals located outside of the Greater Toronto Area are encouraged to register for the concurrent virtual event.
Case Summaries
Asset Pricing Case
The purpose of this case study is to introduce participants to the fundamental concepts surrounding various types of asset classes in the financial market and to demonstrate their behavior. It focuses on three primary asset classes: equities (stocks), fixed income (bonds), and cash equivalents. Through this case, participants will learn about the financial concepts related to the time value of money as they decide whether to hold cash or invest by recognizing the involved risk and return trade-offs. The simulation will help them explore how to invest across these asset classes, by identifying the correlation among the assets. The case also provides insight into how major macroeconomic events can influence asset pricing.
Participants will receive updates on economic performance through national forecasts and actual data releases. This information affects investor demand in the financial markets, which in turn impacts asset pricing. By engaging with this case, participants will gain an understanding of the significance of asset price forecasting amid macroeconomic changes, enabling them to seize opportunities for profit.
Notice of Filming and Photography
- When you attend this event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur.
- By entering the event premises, you consent to such recording media, and its release, publication, exhibition or reproduction.
- Please, kindly let our media staff know if you would like to be excluded from general group photos or videos.
Technical Requirements for Virtual Sessions
- The software platform, Rotman Interactive Trader must be downloaded on a Windows machine.
- Mac users can install a virtual lab on their computer for free. Click Here for more information.
- Virtual participants are responsible for providing their own equipment and ensuring that they will have connectivity.
If you are participating using your school computers: Some school boards have firewalls that may prevent access to the RIT Simulator from school. If you are unable to ensure that the firewall can be dropped for the competition, the best option would be to participate from home on a PC computer.
Dress Code
HSMSC is a professional business competition, so participants are expected to dress in business casual or business formal attire.
Health and Safety | COVID-19
Competition participants are responsible for following health and safety measures where applicable. Individuals should report health and safety concerns to the competition committee via email at financelab[at]rotman.utoronto.ca, who will promptly review, assess and implement measures to address the concern where appropriate.
Measure to reduce risk of exposure:
- Individuals who are sick or who have COVID-19-related symptoms should stay home/hotel/accommodation.
- Isolate until there is no fever and symptoms improve for 24 hours (48 hours for gastrointestinal symptoms), regardless of testing results or no testing.
- Refer to: Ontario COVID-19 Self-Assessment and Procedures in the Event of a Confirmed Case and/or COVID-19 Symptoms.
- Avoid touching your face, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Practice proper respiratory etiquette, such as sneezing and coughing into your elbow.
- Face masks are encouraged, and we ask everyone always to respect the decisions of others, their comfort levels, and their health needs.
Statement on Equity, Diversity, and Excellence
Equity and Human Rights
The purposes of this statement are to express the University’s values regarding equity and diversity, and relate these to the institution’s unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.
At the University of Toronto, we strive to be an equitable and inclusive community, rich with diversity, protecting the human rights of all persons, and based upon understanding and mutual respect for the dignity and worth of every person. We seek to ensure to the greatest extent possible that all students and employees enjoy the opportunity to participate as they see fit in the full range of activities that the University offers, and to achieve their full potential as members of the University community.
Our support for equity is grounded in an institution-wide commitment to achieving a working, teaching, and learning environment that is free of discrimination and harassment as defined in the Ontario Human Rights Code. In striving to become an equitable community, we will also work to eliminate, reduce or mitigate the adverse effects of any barriers to full participation in University life that we find, including physical, environmental, attitudinal, communication or technological.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
Our teaching, scholarship, and other activities take place in the context of a highly diverse society. Reflecting the intersectionality in our community is uniquely valuable to Rotman, as it contributes to the diversification of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives that enrich our teaching, scholarship, and research activities. We will proactively seek to increase inclusion and feelings of belonging among our community members, with an aim to having a student body, teaching and administrative staff that mirror the diversity of qualified applicants. For more information, please click here.