Investeens

Throughout the past few years, I have always heard about this so called "reccession" that is occurring right now. I never really grasped what the word meant, all I knew was that it represents a poor economy. I started doing some research as a freshman at Syosset High School and realized that the world of finance and economics is huge. I was immediately hooked to all sorts of global markets, stocks, and other assets. Mr. Barrella really exposed me to how the gears turn in the global and domestic economy through the Investment Club and the Investment Decision Making elective. As I started to understand more and more about the housing crisis, deficit, loans, Aunt Fannie & Uncle Freddie, and a slew of other investing terms, I realized how much information is out there and how difficult it is to truly grasp it all and understand it. This sparked my interests in analysts. People such as Peter Schiff, Marc Faber, Howard Davidowitz, John Tice, and Ken Fisher fascinate me with their ability to make predictions about the economy with such confidence.

In addition to analysts, I love technology and its position in the global economy. Anything related to technology immediately catches my attention. I am a huge Google and Apple fan and am very interested to see how these companies evolve over time with this constantly changing market and threats of upstart companies such as Facebook that also have potential to institute revolutionary change. I look forward to writing for Investeens and publishing articles that fulfill the everlasting thirst for knowledge in this vast global economy.

Jason Steinberg
Junior, Syosset High School

Business has always been something I thought about, but over the past few years I have become intrigued by different markets. I used to have conversations about the economy without really comprehending the terminology. This all changed when I entered Syosset High School. Through the Investment Decision Making course, I have been introduced to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, investment risks, deficits, corruption, and the things that influence the global markets.

My investing experience began with the Syosset Investment Club, and now I currently manage my own portfolio. I devote my time to researching financial news and tracking specific companies as a way to further my knowledge and keep my portfolios under control. I used to be absorbed in the technology sector, but recently I have realized the importance of natural resources. The idea that they are finite resources is very intriguing because as the global population grows the demand for them will rise as well.

Besides researching on the Internet, I read books on various companies and people. One man who has captivated me through is John Paulson (the subject of the book The Greatest Trade Ever). He managed to make billions during the climax of the credit bubble by betting against the housing market. I also enjoy analyzing how companies react to technical and competitive developments. There is no area of business that I don't find compelling, and I look forward to making numerous contributions to Investeens.

Aleka Raju
Senior, The International School Bangalore (TISB), India

The very first time I put money into the Indian stock market at the age of 12, I did it on a whim. I'd heard that Reliance Industries was having a stock split after the fallout between brothers Mukesh and Anil Ambani. It seemed like a good deal at the time, well good as far as a 12 year old was concerned. For one share that I held in the parent company, I'd get 4 shares in its subsidiaries. Of course for my first purchase, my dad helped me and gave me the money. Since then however, I've had to use the amount that I get from my dividend payments and be content with what I can buy with it.

So with my small amount I had to research companies I wanted to invest in very seriously and look through their balance sheets, the nitty-gritties of their operations, etc. It's safe to say that it taught me a lot about the business environment, the workings of the stock market, government intervention in the market, and how the Reserve Bank of India will be absolutely brutal when it comes to curbing inflation by hiking interest rates. Since my first tryst with the market five years ago, I'm pleased with my knowledge because I already understand the value of money and I already have a portfolio that I continue to build. I look forward to writing Inside India for Investeens and sharing my views on the intricacies and at times extreme volatility of the Indian Stock Market.

Irvin Zhan
Senior, Syosset High School 

I have always been passionate about math. As a child, I immensely enjoyed working with numbers and discovering their properties and neat tricks by myself. This sort of exploration is a process that is so simple yet is one of many nuances that make the essence of the beauty of mathematics. As I continued to higher levels of math, I began to foster an interest in business as well. During middle school and into high school, by reading business news and managing an investment portfolio, I realized that math holds a huge role in the business sphere.

It is crucial for an investor to acquire the necessary mathematical knowledge used to analyze different financial positions. I also believe that a competency and passion for non-business related math is just as essential as well. In Economics Squared, I hope to pass on my enthusiasm and knowledge of math to fellow investors. By writing about game theory and other math-related topics, I not only strengthen my view of the important link between math and business, but encourage others to view and explore it as well. My topics will be explained in simple terms that all students can understand so that my postings will truly be for teens, by teens.

Jon Fox
Senior, Syosset High School

I originally became interested in business after taking Mr. Barrella's Investment Decision Making class in my sophomore year. Before that class, I had pretty much assumed that most of the stuff we learn in school had pretty much no use outside of the classroom. However, after that class I started following business news carefully and I realized the importance of finance and investing in the world today. In the summer going into my senior year, my interest in business really exploded.

I first took an introductory business class at Cornell University, where I learned about the functioning areas of general business management. After that class, I had an internship in New York City with a division of Euromoney International Investor. It was there that I learned about the intricacies of the financial world. I had the opportunity to learn about different types of investment management firms, however, my interest narrowed down to hedge funds. This is because I have a true passion for economics and mathematics and many hedge funds utilize active strategies which analyze fluctuating trends in sectors of the economy and the quantiative data of various potential companies to invest in.

Through my articles I hope to talk about and explain different types of investment management firms, funds, investments and investing strategies, as  well as comment on other Investeens columns. I hope to show the significance of financial economics in the real world as well as teach the basics of finance to someone who hasn't had much exposure to the business world.