MAKATI, Philippines – On the 6th and 20th of February 2024, three exceptional students from the Asian Institute of Management’s (AIM) Washington SyCip Graduate School of Business (WSGSB) showcased their trading prowess as finalists in Yale’s Stock Trading Game. Arvie Mae Collado, Joseph John Sanchez from the Online Master in Business Administration (OMBA) program cohort 2025, and Divine Grace Gadenza from the Executive Master in Business Administration (EMBA) cohort 2024 finished at 12th, 13th, and 30th place respectively.
According to Ms. Gadenza, “The Yale Stock Trading Game was both fun and educational. It gave me a firsthand experience on how the stock market works and I gained insights on the complexities of trading and investing.” Meanwhile, Mr. Sanchez shared “Decisions had to be made in a few moments. I found the limitation of 200 dollars to be challenging but realistic. I wanted to buy more undervalued stocks, but I ended up running out of money.”
When asked about their strategies, the students said that information gathering was key during the earlier rounds. “First, my goal was making the right trading decisions by identifying those that are overvalued or undervalued,” said Mr. Sanchez. However, during the game’s later stages, the students noted a shift in their strategy. “Towards the final round, as more participants joined the game, a lot of money was made in short-term trades. I learned that generating gains both from short-term and long-term trades and the capital gains provided the highest return on investments,” Ms. Gadenza explained.
Ultimately, the students expressed a profound sense of appreciation for engaging in the activity stating that “Even for a brief period, I learned and appreciated the stock market dynamics and the importance of maintaining a well-balanced portfolio for short-term and long-term gain. The lessons learned from the game are indeed applicable in real-life situations and I can't wait to apply these in my personal investing journey.”
Yale's Trading Stock Game, developed by Emeritus Professor Roger Ibbotson of Yale School of Management, provides participants with an interactive platform to understand the workings of the stock market. Originating in the 1970s, the game has transitioned to a fully web-based experience, courtesy of the Yale School of Management Case Study Research & Development Team.
In contrast to traditional trading simulations, where players operate within predetermined market conditions, Yale's Trading Stock Game empowers participants to influence market prices through their trading decisions. Each game session features randomly selected underlying stock values, offering players a dynamic environment to explore market dynamics and strategic decision-making.
The game is designed to accommodate both in-person and remote participants, fitting into a 90-minute class session. Regardless of their trading experience, participants can engage with key concepts such as zero-sum games, efficient capital markets, imperfect information, and security pricing.
Participating schools, including AIM, EGADE, Fudan University, IIMB, Koç University, Renmin University, Said Oxford University, SDA Bocconi, Technion, University of Ghana, University of Indonesia, and Yale School of Management, among others, utilize the platform to enrich their educational programs.