The FEI Investment Challenge 2026
£100,000. Five stocks. One leaderboard.
Build a virtual portfolio with your team, track it against live prices all season, and defend your strategy in front of City professionals at the finals.
How it works
Sign up and invite up to three teammates with a shared invite code. Solo entries are welcome too.
Choose exactly five stocks from any major exchange and allocate your full £100,000 before the deadline.
After submission your portfolio is locked and tracks live market prices for the rest of the competition.
Prices refresh every trading day. Watch your ranking move against teams from across the UK.
The top teams defend their strategy in front of a panel of City professionals. Returns matter, reasoning matters more.
Rules
Starting capital
Each team receives a simulated £100,000 portfolio at competition start. No additional capital may be added.
Asset classes
Teams may invest in equities (UK and international), ETFs, bonds, and cash. Derivatives and leveraged products are not permitted.
Position limits
No single position may exceed 25% of portfolio value. Exactly 5 stocks must be selected at submission.
Submission
Teams submit their portfolio of exactly 5 stocks once. After submission, the portfolio is locked and tracks live prices for the duration of the competition.
Short selling
Short selling is not permitted in the standard competition. Advanced teams may opt into the short-selling stream (separate judging criteria).
ESG overlay
Teams may choose to apply an ESG screen to their portfolio. This is reflected in a separate ESG Score sub-category.
How you are judged
Risk-adjusted return
35%Absolute return relative to a standard benchmark (60/40 FTSE All-World / UK Gilts), adjusted for portfolio volatility (Sharpe Ratio).
Research quality
25%Quality and rigour of the investment journal: clarity of thesis, use of data, acknowledgement of risks and counterarguments.
Portfolio construction
20%Diversification, risk management, adherence to position limits, and consistency with stated investment mandate.
Presentation
20%Clarity, structure, and persuasiveness of the Finals Day presentation. Judges will probe the investment rationale and risk management process.
2026 timeline
Questions
Ready to enter?
Free to enter. You need a team name, five picks, and a defensible thesis for each one.