ScotiaMcLeod Direct Investing (SMDI) is inviting all students in Canadian colleges and universities to building a mock-stock portfolio with $100,000 in simulated funds.

The portfolio that beats the stock index will have a chance to win a 4-year lease on a 2008 Mazda3, and students with the five top-performing portfolios will each win prizes of $1,000 in a ScotiaMcLeod Direct Investing account.

“We are very pleased to co-sponsor Stock-Trak’s 2007-2008 college and university stock market simulation program,” says Cathy Welling, managing director, SMDI. This simulation gives students risk-free hands-on insight and experience with online investing.”

Stock-Trak has been a leader in online portfolio simulations since 1990 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Neutron Enterprises Inc. The college and university stock market simulation program, sponsored by SMDI, is open to all college and university students across Canada.

“Students can benefit greatly by using our proprietary stock market simulation tools,” says Rory Olson, Neutron’s chairman and CEO. “This creates a safe environment within which to experience the movement of the stock market in an applied way. This direct approach adds a new dimension to the academic experience.”

To enter the contest, students must fully complete the online registration and entry form at www.scotiabank.com/beattheindex.

Once registered, all entrants are able to make fantasy trades at the start of the contest period. The contest runs October 29 to November 30.