CSE to give investment insight via bourse games

„„

By Shabiya Ali Ahlam The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) is to introduce mock trading for inexperienced investors through a gaming platform, an upgrade to its trilingual educational web portal launched yesterday in partnership with thinkCube Systems (Pvt) Ltd. CSE Chair Vajira Kulatilaka said games will serve as a platform for new investors where they will be given the opportunity to learn about trading with an artificial portfolio.

The initiative will typically allow potential and new investors to be familiar with the risk component and engage with mock trading without using money. “There is nothing like using your own money. You will properly learn when you are actively participating in the stock market. However, this will be a chance for those who have limited knowledge on trading to have a feel on what it is like to engage in bourse.

“So learn how the stock market functions, then try it out with the artificial portfolio. If confident enough step into the stock market,” Kulatilaka said. Although the idea is rather new to Sri Lanka, bourse games have been used as a tool by a number of nations to help educate the public on stock market activities.

While a number of versions have been developed, the online simulation is commonly used to engage school students, from as low as grade four, to engage in economics, investing and personal finance. In the USA, games of this nature have been transformed into annual competitions.