The semester project involves tracking different investment vehicles and reporting on the performance of those investments. The assignment is to submit a paper*, discussing how each of the instruments below performed from the start to the end and why. The paper aims to “tell a story” about what happened in the U.S. equity markets in general and with your company precisely over the semester.
Start date: 1/1/2024
End date: 3/31/2024
Each student will discuss the overall market and one publicly traded common stock. The DJI index, or one appropriate for your stock, will be the primary indicator of “market” performance. Starting values will be the adjusted closing price on the start date. Historical index prices and individual stocks can be found on www.finance.yahoo.com and www.google.com/finance.
Enter the appropriate symbol, click on Historical Prices, and scroll to the appropriate date. The last column of prices on the right is the adjusted closing price. The Yahoo Finance symbol for the S&P 500 Index is ^DJI. Adjusted closing prices on the start date will be the beginning value, and adjusted closing prices on the end date will be the ending values.
The paper should discuss absolute performance (e.g., up X%, down X%, or unchanged) and include comparisons with the DJI index over the period. You might also decide to compare your company’s performance with a similar company, relevant commodity (gold, oil, etc.), or interest rates (U.S. Treasury rates), although that is not required. Comparisons should not only discuss differences or similarities in performance but, most importantly, why performance differed or was the same.
Students should look for opportunities to link performance in their stock to what happened with the index and the financial environment.
Papers must be double-spaced and typed using a 12-point font. Papers are expected to have an introduction, including a statement or hypothesis that will be discussed throughout the paper, and a conclusion regarding that initial statement or hypothesis. There will be a rubric in the Blackboard assignment. Students are encouraged to review the rubric before working on the paper.
Ensure you include your information sources such as Yahoo Finance, Google Finance, company websites, etc. Each time a particular source is used, that sentence should be footnoted. You may want to collaborate with other students, but all work submitted must be your own.
Investment vehicles to be discussed:
Dow Jones Industrial Average – ^DJI
Sally Beauty Holdings
Using ChatGPT or any similar tool will result in an automatic F grading and appropriate disciplinary actions. Academic honesty is expected of all CUA students. Please review the complete texts of the University policy and procedures regarding Student Academic Dishonesty, including requirements for appeals, at:
http://policies.cua.edu/academicundergrad/integrity.cfm
* There is no minimum number of pages, but the paper must be long enough to make and support a particular position or hypothesis. PLEASE limit your paper to no more than five pages of text. Including appendices or exhibits (not required) will not count toward the page maximum.
Attatched is an example paper
