Competing on a global platform is both thrilling and nerve-wracking, but Clark University School of Business (CUSB) students proved they were ready at the Fall 2024 Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge.

Facing over 2,400 teams worldwide, all competing remotely, former MSF students and fall 2024 graduates Heel Hareshkumar Patel, Durvesh Gurjar, and Sahan Maharjan utilized CUSB’s Bloomberg Terminals to put their classroom knowledge into action. The group navigated fast-changing markets and making strategic decisions, with the goal maximizing stock returns over the six-week timeframe.

With guidance from Professor Steve Ng, an associate professor of practice in CUSB, and Clark’s focus on hands-on learning, the students showcased their market analysis and risk management skills. They focused on crypto and technology stocks, with quick asset allocation and set trading rules to maximize their earnings.

In the end, they ranked #16 in North America and #51 globally, a fantastic achievement. Their success not only reflects the group’s talent, but also highlights CUSB’s commitment to preparing students for success in the financial world.

CUSB communications graduate assistant Vishista Mahendra Rodda (MS-Marketing ’25) spoke with Heel Hareshkumar, Durvesh, and Sahan back in December to hear more about their project and experience.

How did you hear about the competition?

Heel Hareshkumar Patel: I learned about the Bloomberg Global Trading Challenge through Clark University’s active promotion of experiential learning opportunities, allowing students to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings.

 Durvesh Gurjar: I agree, Clark consistently keeps students informed about such exciting opportunities to apply our skills and enhance our learning experience.

 Sahan Maharjan: We had also participated in this competition last year as well.

What type of guidance did your professor Steve Ng provide?

Heel:  Professor Ng guided us in analyzing market trends, preparing for volatility during events like elections, and identifying strategic opportunities, which greatly improved our risk management and decision-making. Weekly presentations done in our wealth management class kept us updated on economic trends and market impacts, while portfolio discussions helped us critically assess real-world scenarios, which is essential for crafting strategies in the trading challenge.

Durvesh: Steve Ng provided valuable guidance on tracking the market outlook and identifying the best opportunities within a defined time frame. His insights helped us develop a strategic approach to analyzing trends and making informed trading decisions.

Sahan: Professor Steve did say trading is more about luck and not exactly like long term like investing. He explained we should target more volatile stocks with high betas to the market, so that is where we put our focus. We focused on leading crypto, tech and biotech themes along with their earning releases in the six weeks we had during the competition.

What was the competition part of the experience like?

Sahan: The competition was online, so it involved us doing our research, and then putting in orders through the Bloomberg Terminals in CUSB’s computer lab.

Heel:  It was a rewarding challenge. We got to apply knowledge from our wealth management course, we had to adapt to real-time market dynamics, and compete fairly and effectively against 2,400 global teams.

Durvesh: It was definitely truly rewarding. Competing against that many teams was challenging, but we stayed focused on our strategy and believed in our approach. It was a great opportunity to test our skills, adapt to market conditions, and push ourselves to perform at our best.

What does it mean for you and CUSB that you performed so well?

Durvesh:  Achieving such success in the competition means a lot to me and to Clark University School of Business. Given the opportunity, it has been truly amazing to not only perform well, but also to gain invaluable learning experiences.

Heel: The success validates my academic and practical skills while showcasing CUSB’s commitment to excellence and its ability to prepare students for competitive, real-world challenges in finance.

Sahan: I would add that our success shows our individual and group aptitude for a career in a trading setup. It gave us all confidence in what types of roles we might end up with in our careers or simply how we go about our personal investments.