The first-ever CFM course to be offered at the University of Waterloo ended with a portfolio-generation competition. Teams of three first-year CFM students were tasked with coding portfolio-creation applications in the python programming language that were set loose on the market, with final portfolio values determined as of the close on Monday, December 6.
Teams were required to choose from a basket of stocks to include in their portfolios to meet pre-set goals. But this was done with an important twist: the students did not know the basket of stocks from which their code must choose.
Their applications needed to read in an unknown list of stocks and dynamically select portfolios without any human intervention, while satisfying a lengthy list of admissibility criteria. Many curve-balls were inserted in the stock list to try to challenge their applications, but many students planned their code for all contingencies, and the results were excellent.
Teams went above and beyond and helped show that CFM students have the innovative drive needed to be future leaders in the fast-growing field of fintech!
L to R: Professor James Thompson, Yuqian L., Mark G. (standing behind Yuqian), Ethan M., Brian L., Vivan G., Timothy Z., Derek T.
Congratulations to the two teams that won the CFM 101 Team Competition!
Team 03, with Yuqian L., Jeff P., and Derek T., secured first place in the Safe Strategy category. Team 09, with Bogdan B., Vivan G., and Brian L., secured first place in the Risky Strategy category.
We are proud of your achievement!