Over 2,000 teams from around the globe participated in the 2023 annual Bloomberg Trading Challenge which allowed teams to utilise real-world, real-time financial tools to develop an investment strategy, research high-potential stocks, and prove their trading skills. 

UCD Quinn School’s team consisting of Ruairi Whelan, Dylan Lee, Thomas Kearns, George McCann and Henry Colclough finished an impressive first in Ireland, 36th in Europe and 146th globally. The students are all final year BComm students.

“Participating in the Bloomberg Trading Challenge benefited our learning of the day-to-day trader's life by providing a hands-on experience in navigating real-time market dynamics,” said Team Leader Ruairi Whelan.

“From initially relying on external sources, we quickly realised the value of Bloomberg's functions and how they were utilised by traders. This experience allowed us to understand the importance of timely decision-making, the impact of market volatility and the significance of data analytics for trading strategies. Overall, the challenge has sparked our enthusiasm for trading and instilled the motivation to explore and excel in this dynamic in the future,” concluded Ruairi.

UCD students competed from the Bloomberg Labs in UCD Quinn School, which are one of only a handful of universities in Ireland that offer the Bloomberg infrastructure.

Supported by Assistant Professor Matt Glowatz, 20 teams from the UCD Quinn School participated in December 2023 as part of their module Strategic Decision Making in the Digital World. They competed against teams from over 300 universities and 38 different countries.

“This virtual online simulation offers an unequalled opportunity for students to participate in experiential learning activities while putting theory into practice,” said Assistant Professor Matt Glowatz. “I am very proud of all the students who took part. The majority of UCD teams finished in the top 20% globally reflecting the high calibre of UCD Quinn School students.”