Global X And National Bank Direct Brokerage Announce the Winners of the 13th Biggest Winner Simulated Trading Competition

TORONTO, Nov. 15, 2024 /CNW/ - Global X Investments Canada Inc. ("Global X") and National Bank Direct Brokerage ("NBDB") are pleased to announce that Simon Bolton-Smith from White Rock, British Columbia is the grand prize winner of the 13^th Biggest Winner Simulated Trading Competition (the "Competition"). With the highest six-week cumulative return of 27.25%, Simon has been awarded the grand prize of $10,000.

Simon is no stranger to the Biggest Winner Simulated Trading Competition: in 2017 and again in 2021, he placed second and earned the runner-up prize. After nearly a decade of participation, Simon has finally achieved the grand title of "Biggest Winner."

"Once again, it was a pleasure to take part in the Biggest Winner ETF Trading Competition," said Simon Bolton-Smith. "It remains a very stimulating experience, especially given the recent increased volatility in the broader commodities market."

The Competition, which ran from September 16 to October 25, 2024, saw approximately 2,750 participants completing approximately 20,000 trades over the six-week trading period. Contestants were provided with a fantasy brokerage account, with a balance of $100,000 in notional Canadian dollars. Contestants used these fantasy funds to place simulated trades among more than 1,000 ETFs listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and Cboe Canada.

For Simon, his key to success was recognizing the interrelationships between commodities and their price movements. To achieve his returns, he rotated in and out of long and short commodity ETFs, taking entry and exit points supported by broader market trends into consideration. 

"My specific trading strategy involved a focus on commodity-focused leveraged and inverse leveraged BetaPro ETFs, which allowed me to effectively capture positive and inverse price movements in the oil and natural gas segments of the marketplace," said Mr. Bolton-Smith. "The BetaPro ETFs are a great way to enhance any investment portfolio as a broad range of market segments are covered."

The runner-up, Dr. Amin Ebadi of Richmond Hill, Ontario, secured his second-place position with a cumulative return of 23.33%, earning him $5,000 in this year's Competition. Like Simon, Amin has participated in previous Biggest Winner iterations, securing the top Week One spot in last year's competition.

"I am truly honored to have achieved second place in the competition, an accomplishment that fills me with great joy and gratitude. This experience has been incredibly rewarding, reflecting my commitment and passion for trading," said Dr. Amin Ebadi. "My strategy focused on leveraged and inverse leveraged ETFs, with Global X ETFs playing a significant role in my success. I relied heavily on my own analysis, combining it with well-timed orders to capitalize on market volatility. This approach allowed me to buy and sell at targeted prices while maintaining discipline in a fast-moving environment. It is important to note that the competition was quite challenging, which makes this achievement all the more significant."

For this year's Competition, Global X and NBDB are also recognizing the third-place participant, Hak-Min Kim of Coquitlam, British Columbia, who achieved a 20% portfolio return and earned $2,500 for their efforts.

"In this competition, I was able to achieve my result by trading only leveraged, inverse and inverse leveraged ETFs," said Mr. Kim. "I believe that the various strategies offered under the BetaPro family, including the gold, silver, oil, and natural gas-focused funds, are among the best ETFs in Canada."

In addition to the prizes for the top three participants, the Competition also awarded weekly $1,000 cash prizes for the best-single week returns, as well as $100 Amazon gift cards for eligible participants that completed more than three trades, each week and were selected via a random draw.

The most-traded ETFs in the Competition are all managed by Global X. The three most-traded ETFs are a part of Global X's BetaPro family of tactical ETFs: the BetaPro Natural Gas Leveraged Daily Bull ETF ("HNU"), the BetaPro Natural Gas Inverse Leveraged Daily Bear ETF ("HND"), and the BetaPro Crude Oil Leveraged Daily Bull ETF ("HOU").

HNU seeks daily investment results, before fees, expenses, distributions, brokerage commissions, and other transaction costs, that endeavour to correspond to up to two times (200%) the daily performance of the BetaPro Natural Gas Rolling Futures Index.

HND seeks daily investment results, before fees, expenses, distributions, brokerage commissions, and other transaction costs, that endeavour to correspond to up to two times (200%) the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the BetaPro Natural Gas Rolling Futures Index.

HOU seeks daily investment results, before fees, expenses, distributions, brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, that endeavour to correspond to up to two times (200%) the daily performance of the BetaPro Crude Oil Rolling Futures Index.

"With another Biggest Winner in the books, I'd like to once again thank the thousands of Canadians that joined us this year to build, improve and test their ETF trading skills," said Rohit Mehta, President & CEO of Global X. "I'd also like to acknowledge the success and persistence of this year's champion, Simon Bolton-Smith, who has finally earned the top spot after years of competing. For many investors, the Biggest Winner is an anticipated and important event, along their financial journey and calendars. It's our pleasure to continue to provide the opportunity for them to explore and achieve their ETF trading potential."

NBDB, a founding sponsor of the Biggest Winner Competition and its past twelve editions, believes the contest presents a unique opportunity for investors to learn the ins and outs of self-directed investing.

"Congratulations to Simon Bolton-Smith, Dr. Amin Ebadi, Hak-Min Kim and all the winners of the 13^th Biggest Winner trading competition," said Claude-Frédéric Robert, President of National Bank Direct Brokerage. "This competition provides a hands-on way for investors to explore strategies and gain confidence in their investing knowledge, and we are proud to contribute to their development."

In addition to being one of the listing exchanges for the ETFs traded by participants in the Competition, TSX was also a sponsor of the Competition.

"On behalf of the Toronto Stock Exchange, I'd like to congratulate Simon Bolton-Smith for once again winning the Biggest Winner Competition," said Graham Mackenzie, Managing Director, Exchange Traded Products, Toronto Stock Exchange. "TSX is continuously looking at ways to innovate for investors and clients alike. This Competition allows both new and experienced investors alike the ability to explore the opportunities ETFs have to offer."

In total, $23,500 in cash prizes were awarded as part of the Competition.

About National Bank Direct Brokerage (www.NBDB.ca)

National Bank Direct Brokerage (NBDB) is a division of National Bank Financial Inc. (NBF), as well as a trademark owned by National Bank of Canada (NBC) that is used under licence by NBF. NBF is a member of the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, and the Canadian Investor Protection Fund, and is a subsidiary of NBC, a public company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). NBDB provides order execution-only services and makes no investment recommendations.

About the National Bank of Canada

With $454 billion in assets as at July 31, 2024, the National Bank of Canada is one of Canada's six systemically important banks. The Bank has approximately 30,000 employees in knowledge-intensive positions and operates through three business segments in Canada: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and Financial Markets. A fourth segment, U.S. Specialty Finance and International complements the growth of its domestic operations. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank's activities at nbc.ca or via social media.

About Global X Investments Canada Inc. (www.GlobalX.ca)

Global X Investments Canada Inc. is an innovative financial services company and offers one of the largest suites of exchange traded funds in Canada. The Global X Fund family includes a broadly diversified range of solutions for investors of all experience levels to meet their investment objectives in a variety of market conditions. Global X has more than $35 billion of assets under management and 134 ETFs listed on major Canadian stock exchanges. Global X is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Mirae Asset Financial Group, which manages more than $800 billion of assets across 19 countries and global markets around the world.

Commissions, management fees, and expenses all may be associated with an investment in products (the "Global X Funds") managed by Global X Investments Canada Inc. The Global X Funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Certain Global X Funds may have exposure to leveraged investment techniques that magnify gains and losses which may result in greater volatility in value and could be subject to aggressive investment risk and price volatility risk. Such risks are described in the prospectus. The Global X Money Market Funds are not covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, or any other government deposit insurer. There can be no assurances that the money market fund will be able to maintain its net asset value per security at a constant amount or that the full amount of your investment in the Funds will be returned to you. Past performance may not be repeated. The prospectus contains important detailed information about the Global X Funds. Please read the relevant prospectus before investing.

BetaPro Products consist of our Daily Bull and Daily Bear ETFs (the "Leveraged and Inverse Leveraged ETFs"), Inverse ETFs (the "Inverse ETFs"), and our BetaPro S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures™ ETF (the "VIX ETF") and can offer opportunities for enhanced returns or hedging strategies, but it's essential to understand and accept the associated risks. Leveraged ETFs aim to amplify the returns of an underlying index, which can lead to higher gains, but they also magnify losses in downturns. Similarly, inverse ETFs seek to profit from declines in the underlying index, meaning they can perform inversely to the market, but losses can accumulate quickly if the market moves against expectations. While these strategies will only be used in accordance with the investment objectives and strategies of the BetaPro Products, during certain market conditions they may accelerate the risk that an investment in shares of a BetaPro Product decreases in value. Investors should be aware of and understand their risk tolerance and capacity and conduct their research before investing. An investment in any of the BetaPro Products is not intended as a complete investment program and is appropriate only for investors who have the capacity to absorb a loss of some or all of their investment.

Please read the full risk disclosure in the prospectus before investing. Investors should monitor their holdings in BetaPro Products and their performance at least as frequently as daily to ensure such investment(s) remain consistent with their investment strategies. By choosing to proceed, you accept and understand the disclosure provided above.

This communication is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase exchange traded products managed by Global X Investments Canada Inc. and is not, and should not be construed as, investment, tax, legal or accounting advice, and should not be relied upon in that regard. Individuals should seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding any particular investment. Investors should consult their professional advisors prior to implementing any changes to their investment strategies. These investments may not be suitable to the circumstances of an investor.

Global X Investments Canada Inc. ("Global X") is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd. ("Mirae Asset"), the Korea-based asset management entity of Mirae Asset Financial Group. Global X is a corporation existing under the laws of Canada and is the manager and investment manager of the Global X Funds.

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SOURCE Global X Investments Canada Inc.

For investor inquiries: Please contact Global X at 1-866-641-5739 (toll-free) or [phone], [email protected]; For media inquiries: Contact Jonathan McGuire, Vice President, Communications, Global X Investments Canada Inc., [phone], [email protected]