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The Consilium

Think you can beat the market?

Build a virtual investment portfolio. Compete against fellow EconSoc members. Prove your strategy and battle for the top of the leaderboard in The EconSoc Trading Challenge 2026–27.

Registration openTrading opens Wednesday 28 October

Enter the ChallengeHow it works

Already verified? Go to the game on MarketWatch(opens in a new tab)

Virtual Stock Exchange
Illustrative chart. Not market data or competition results.8 days to the opening bell
Starting capital
$100,000virtual
Prize pool
£175£100 · £50 · £25
Trading window
28 October – 25 March 2027
Who can enter
Paid EconSoc members
Real money at stake
Nonesimulated trading

£175 for the top three portfolios

Prizes go to the three highest-ranked eligible entries when trading closes on 25 March 2027, after the committee has verified each winner’s membership and registration.

  1. First place

    £100

  2. Second place

    £50

  3. Third place

    £25

How to enter

Four steps, two of them sign-ups. Your MarketWatch account is where you trade; registering with EconSoc is how we confirm your membership and send you the private game password. You need both.

  1. Step 1: Create a free MarketWatch account

    The Challenge runs on MarketWatch’s Virtual Stock Exchange. Sign up if you don’t already have an account, and note the username you’ll trade under.

    Go to MarketWatch(opens in a new tab)

  2. Step 2: Become a paid EconSoc member

    Entry is open to paid members of the Economics Society. Buy membership through EUSA if you haven’t already.

    Buy EconSoc membership(opens in a new tab)

  3. Step 3: Register for the Challenge

    Register so we can verify your membership. Students complete a short form with their student number; non-student members email the committee.

    Register below

  4. Step 4: Get your login and start trading

    Once you’re verified, we email you the private game link and password. Join the game on MarketWatch and trade from 28 October.

Register for the Challenge

Registration is how EconSoc verifies your membership. The Google Form below is the official record of your entry: its own confirmation message tells you it has been received.

Which describes you?

Student registration

You will need

  • Your full name
  • Your University of Edinburgh student number
  • Your MarketWatch username: the name you trade under, not your email address

Student registration · Google Forms

Open in Google Forms(opens in a new tab)

The form is hosted by Google Forms. Loading it here lets Google set its own cookies.

What happens next

  1. We check your student number against EconSoc’s membership list.
  2. If you’re on it, the private game link and password are emailed to your university address, usually shortly after you register.
  3. If you’re not on it yet, you’ll get an email saying your registration is pending. Pending registrations are rechecked every hour, but the membership list is refreshed from EUSA’s records periodically rather than instantly, so a membership bought recently can take longer to verify. There’s no need to register again.

Check your junk or spam folder. If nothing arrives, email economics.society@ed.ac.uk with your name and MarketWatch username. Never send your password.

Submitting the form registers you with EconSoc. It is not the same as joining the game on MarketWatch: you join with the password we send you.

Standings

Live rankings are kept by MarketWatch and are visible to players inside the game. The Consilium does not mirror the leaderboard: a prize position counts only once the committee has verified it.

Rankings on MarketWatch(opens in a new tab; sign-in required)

Sign in to MarketWatch and join the game to see them.

Winners announced after the close

The verified top three will be announced here after trading closes on 25 March 2027.

  1. 1st£100
  2. 2nd£50
  3. 3rd£25

The rules

The Challenge is a simulation for learning and friendly competition. Nothing on this page is investment advice.

Competition at a glance

Organiser
University of Edinburgh Economics Society
Platform
MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange
Competition dates
Starts28 October 2026Ends25 March 2027
Starting balance
$100,000 virtual
Markets
Nasdaq, NYSE, NYSE American and OTC
Prizes
First£100Second£50Third£25

Official rules

  1. Simulated trading only

    Every portfolio starts with $100,000 of virtual money on MarketWatch Virtual Stock Exchange. No real money is invested, and no trading gain or loss is real. Simulated returns say nothing about future real-world investment performance. Only the prizes are real, paid by EconSoc in pounds sterling.

  2. Eligibility

    The Challenge is open to paid members of the University of Edinburgh Economics Society: University of Edinburgh students and paid non-student members. Membership is verified before the private game password is issued.

  3. Registration and the game password

    University of Edinburgh students register through the official Google Form. Paid non-student members register by emailing the committee, who verify their membership by hand. The password is sent only to verified members and must not be shared.

  4. One person, one account

    Each member may enter once, using one individual MarketWatch account. Register the MarketWatch username you trade under and keep it unchanged: entries are matched to registrations by that name.

  5. Dates and late entry

    Trading runs from 28 October 2026 to 25 March 2027, as set in the MarketWatch game. Members may join after the start while the game is running; late entrants receive the same starting balance and have less time to trade.

  6. Rankings

    Standings are MarketWatch’s rankings for the game. The final standings are the rankings when the game ends.

  7. Prizes and winner verification

    Prizes of £100, £50, £25 (£175 in total) go to the three highest-ranked eligible entries. Before winners are announced, the committee checks each leading entry against approved registrations and membership records. Winners are announced only after that check.

  8. Ineligible entries

    An entry without a valid paid membership or a matching registration is not eligible for a prize and may be removed from the game.

  9. TiesTo be confirmed

    How a tie for a prize position is resolved will be confirmed by the organisers.

Questions

Can’t find an answer? Email EconSoc and include your name and MarketWatch username.

economics.society@ed.ac.uk

Taking part

Do I need investment experience to take part?
No. Everyone starts with the same virtual $100,000, and the Challenge is a low-stakes way to learn how markets behave by trying it yourself.
Do I need to invest real money?
No. All trading is simulated with virtual money on MarketWatch, so you cannot lose real money. The only real money involved is the prizes, paid by EconSoc.
Why do I need a MarketWatch account?
The Challenge runs on MarketWatch’s free Virtual Stock Exchange. Your trades, portfolio and the rankings all live there, so you need an account to join the private game.
Where do I find my MarketWatch username?
It is the name MarketWatch shows for your account when you are signed in, and the name other players see in the game’s rankings. Enter it exactly in the registration form, not your email address.
Can I change my MarketWatch username after registering?
Please keep it the same: entries are matched to registrations by that name. If you have to change it, email economics.society@ed.ac.uk with your old and new names so the committee can update your registration.
Can I join after the competition starts?
Yes. Late entry is open while the game runs, until 25 March 2027. You start with the same $100,000 as everyone else; you just have less time to trade.

Membership and your login

Do I need an EconSoc membership?
Yes, a paid EconSoc membership. You can buy one on EconSoc’s EUSA page (opens in a new tab).
Can non-student members take part?
Yes, paid non-student EconSoc members are welcome. To register, email economics.society@ed.ac.uk with your full name, your MarketWatch display name and the email address you used to buy your membership. The committee checks your membership by hand and sends your login details once that check is complete.
When will I receive the game password?
If you are a student already on EconSoc’s membership list, usually shortly after you register, by email to your university address. Otherwise, including for non-student members, it is sent once your membership has been verified.
I bought my membership recently. What happens?
New purchases are not passed to EconSoc instantly; the membership list is refreshed from EUSA’s records periodically. You will get an email saying your registration is pending. Pending registrations are rechecked every hour, so your login is sent once your purchase appears on the list. You do not need to register again.
My login email hasn’t arrived. What should I do?
Check your junk or spam folder first, especially in university mail. If it is not there, email economics.society@ed.ac.uk with your name and MarketWatch username. Never send a password by email.

Results

How are winners selected?
From MarketWatch’s final rankings when the game ends. The three highest-ranked eligible entries win, after the committee has checked them against registrations and membership records. Verified winners are announced on this page.
What happens if someone joins without a valid membership?
The password is only sent to verified members. Anyone in the game without a valid paid membership or matching registration is not eligible for a prize and may be removed from the game.
Who do I contact if I have a problem?
Email EconSoc at economics.society@ed.ac.uk.

Take your seat at the opening bell.

$100,000 of virtual capital, nearly five months of trading and £100 · £50 · £25 for the top three. Trading opens 28 October.

Enter the Challenge

The EconSoc Trading Challenge 2026–27 is organised by the University of Edinburgh Economics Society and hosted on MarketWatch’s Virtual Stock Exchange. MarketWatch is not affiliated with EconSoc or The Consilium. All trading is simulated.