Nancy King, Alaska Coordinator, Stock Market Game Program
The Stock Market Game Program's final Week in Review which follows (written by Elizabeth Reidel, Regional Director, in New York office) recaps the 5 leading stocks held by the top portfolios nationwide. Those top portfolios started with the same $100,000 and ended with $180,000. Impressive! No, there is no national winner.
Week in Review
Now that The Stock Market Game program has concluded for the Fall semester and coordinators are busy verifying rankings, the most frequent questions students ask are "what stocks/funds made up the winning portfolios" and "what was the value of the highest portfolio?" During the trading session, students are usually very secretive about their stock picks, afraid rival teams will "steal" their investment strategies as well as their hot stock picks. At the end of October of this year, we highlighted five stocks that experienced phenomenal growth since early September.
This week we will highlight five of the best performing stocks included in winning Stock Market Game portfolios during the Fall semester. What's surprising about this week's list is all of the stocks are new and none of them were highlighted in October. China is well represented as well as alternative energy companies.
5. Mastercard (MA) It is the number two payment system within the United States behind Visa. The company does not issue debit or Mastercard credit cards, but rather markets the cards as well as the Maestro brands, provides the transaction and authorization network, establishes guidelines for use, and collects fees from members. While many on Wall Street feel consumer spending is down, it doesn't seem to have affected the company as the price of its stock has gained 61% since early September.
4. Baidu.com (BIDU) This company is the Google of China. Its mission is to provide the best way for people to find information as it hosts a series of services including news, MP3, and image search. The name "Baidu" was inspired by a poem written more than 800 years ago during the Song Dynasty. The poem compares the search for a retreating beauty amid chaotic glamour with the search for one's dream while confronted by life's many obstacles. The company's stock price jumped $170.05 per share generating a 78% return since early September.
3. Sun Tech Power Holdings (STP) As the world's third largest solar cell manufacturer and the leader in China, STP's products are used in residential, commercial, industrial, and public utility applications, such as lighting for street lamps, garden lamps, as well as mobile phone networks.
2. China Natural Resources (CHNR) With a 149% increase in its stock price within three months, the company's primary function is to mine zinc and iron through its Wuhu Feishang Mining Development subsidiary.
1. First Solar (FSLR) Finishing in the top spot with a 153% increase in its stock price since September, this company makes solar-power modules with a thin-film semiconductor technology that doesn't use silicon and nearly all of the company's sales of solar modules are to five customers in Germany. As a side note, according to Hoovers.com, the estate of John Walton, who started Wal-Mart, owns 54% of First Solar.
Kudos to those teams who included these companies in their portfolios! Other top performing companies for the semester include: LB Foster (FSTR), Monsanto (MON), Amen Properties (AMEN), Telefonica SA (TEF), and Apple (AAPL).
And as for the portfolios with the highest equity: Some portfolios exceeded $180,000 in assets which is truly remarkable during such a volatile market this fall. But please keep in mind that the average SMG portfolio lost money. So teams shouldn't feel too badly if they finished in the red.
10:51:53 AM 
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