Stock Market Simulation Project –
Module at FOM University of Applied Sciences

Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Alexander Zureck. Develop a strategy, implement it with CapTrader, and present the results in a well-founded manner.

🎓 Introduction

Dear Students

Here you will find additional learning material for the module “Stock Market Simulation Game”. It helps you to better understand the content – and to successfully master the assessment.

The module is more than just theory: Together with my colleagues Eric Frère, Ilja Schaab, and Jan Heyder , we have developed it over the years – by FOM graduates for FOM students. With gamification, learning comes alive: Theory is directly applied in practical exercises.

– Prof. Dr. Alexander Zureck

A Look Behind the Scenes

🎯 Objective of the module

In the stock market simulation, students develop their own trading strategy in groups, implement it via the CapTrader trading platform, and reflect on the results in a scientifically sound manner. Strategies (day trading, swing, value, dividends), theory (Markowitz, Fama, Tversky/Kahneman) and biases (home bias, overconfidence, herding) are covered. Modern tools such as CapTrader, TradingView and Morning Briefing can be used.

🎓 Examination performance

Group Presentation (no video work)

4 milestones lead to the final presentation (January/February). Presentations can either be held live or uploaded as a video (PDF upload of slides after the presentation, 1 upload per group). Registration via the online campus.

  • Group names: choose a European city
  • Appointment slots: January/February (2 × 4 teaching units)
  • Upload: final PDF after the presentation

Milestones

  1. Persona: Investor Profile (Profession, Income, Time Budget, Risk Appetite, Time Horizon)
  2. Strategy: Day Trading / Swing / Value / Dividends (Justification & Literature Reference)
  3. Implementation: Execute & document trades/investments on CapTrader
  4. Reflection: Results vs. Assumptions, Theoretical Linkage (Markowitz, Fama, Tversky/Kahneman), Biases

The goal is the comparable implementation (CapTrader usage) and reflective classification using portfolio theory & behavioral finance.

📅 Organization & Support

Organization

  • Group Size: max. 5 students
  • Registration for the exam: Online Campus (Please observe deadlines)
  • Communication: exclusively via @fom-net.de

❗Missed deadlines → Retake the module next semester.

Office Hours / Group Appointments

If you get stuck, book a consultation by clicking the button.

  • Individual group appointments via Calendly (up to 5 participants per slot).
  • Important: Do not pass on the link – please have all group members register themselves. Exchange between groups is encouraged.

🖥️ Presentation

Layout & Style

Goal: clean, fact-based, easy to read – as with IR decks of large corporations.

  • Light background, dark font (uniform requirement)
  • Tools allowed: PowerPoint, Keynote, Canva, Google Slides
  • Inspiration: Investor Relations slides (e.g., BASF) or Bundesbank presentations
  • AI tools allowed (e.g., ChatGPT, Gamma AI) – content counts

Content (Guidelines)

  • Strategy Derivation & Delimitation (Day Trading/Swing/Value/Dividends)
  • Risk-Return Profile, Diversification (Markowitz)
  • Market Efficiency & Factors (Fama, possibly Fama-French)
  • Biases: Home Bias, Overconfidence, Herding (Tversky/Kahneman)
  • Transparent CapTrader Documentation (Comparability)