AmplifyME

Stocks down. Bonds down. That’s not how it’s supposed to work. This is a question you could easily be asked in an asset management or markets interview right now: Why have both equities and bonds been falling at the same time? Over the past few weeks, global equities have come under pressure, but government bonds have also sold off. At first glance, that seems counterintuitive. The traditional framework is that bonds provide diversification. When growth slows and equities fall, bonds typically rally as markets price in lower interest rates. But that relationship depends on the macro backdrop. It breaks down when inflation becomes the dominant concern. Rising energy prices are feeding into inflation expectations, which limits how much central banks can ease policy. So instead of: Weak growth → lower rates → bonds rally You get: Inflation risk → rates stay higher → bonds fall At the same time → weaker growth → equities fall That’s how you end up with both sides of a 60/40 portfolio moving lower together. Access the full deep-dive in our latest Market Maker podcast episode with Anthony Cheung and Piers Curran! 🎧 Spotify https://lnkd.in/ewC3Nvjb 🎧 Apple https://lnkd.in/eNFr2YQ4 🎬 YouTube https://lnkd.in/ebAFTUmt

Early careers hiring is scaling. Assessment isn’t keeping up. Application volumes are rising. AI-generated CVs are everywhere. Confidence in how we assess candidates is falling. This week, we brought together leaders from BlackRock, Citi, Shell, Millennium and more at our annual AmplifyME event in London to discuss one question: Are we actually measuring the right things when we hire? A huge thank you to our panel Anthony Cheung, Will de Lucy, Lara Montefiori, Emily Glaister and Jenny Cuttle for a genuinely honest and practical discussion. What stood out, both in the room and from live responses: ➡️ Application volume and AI-generated applications are now the biggest strain on hiring teams ➡️ Traditional signals like CVs are no longer trusted ➡️ Interviews are still widely used but increasingly questioned ➡️ There is a clear shift toward more practical, behaviour-based assessment The shift is clear. Firms are moving away from traditional screening toward more practical, data-driven approaches that better reflect on-the-job performance. We are now pulling this together into a short insights piece, combining what we heard in the room with data from 700+ students and perspectives from leading financial institutions. If you would like early access to the report and full event photography, you can register here. https://lnkd.in/eg5AWFxT

Goldman Sachs x AmplifyME Experience If you’re studying at Imperial College London, the University of Warwick or the University of Oxford, this is your opportunity to step out of the classroom and into an exclusive, in-person simulation experience at Goldman Sachs’ London offices this April. You’ll immerse yourself in a simulated environment that mirrors a day in the life of a Goldman Sachs professional, navigating real-world challenges and fast-paced decision-making across areas including: ➡️ Banking ➡️ Markets ➡️ Asset Management ➡️ Quant You’ll also have the opportunity to connect with Goldman Sachs professionals, hear about their career journeys, and gain insight into the skills and mindset required to succeed within the firm. 📅 Register your interest by tomorrow, 25 March 2026 Imperial College London: https://lnkd.in/eyzB7-Hq University of Warwick: https://lnkd.in/eukNp-7M University of Oxford: https://lnkd.in/e6efhMju This is an invite-only experience, and further details will be shared with selected attendees.

Global Trading Challenge | National University of Singapore 👉 250+ students. One live trading floor experience. Earlier this month, we partnered with NUS Centre for Future-ready Graduates at the National University of Singapore to deliver a global trading challenge designed to give prospective and current students a real taste of finance in action. More than 250 participants stepped into the role of Macro Investment Analysts, competing across three live multi-asset and macro simulations. Responding to evolving market news, they navigated volatility in real time, with a dynamic leaderboard keeping competition high throughout. The event formed part of our wider University Pathways Programme, helping universities attract and engage future students through fun, immersive finance experiences while building real career clarity from day one. If you’re part of a university careers or faculty team looking to combine student attraction with meaningful industry exposure, we’d love to hear from you: https://lnkd.in/ey3bpsyA

Congratulations to our AmplifyME alumni on their latest career milestones! Jasmine Nabeih, a graduate of ESCP Business School and member of the AmplifyME High Potential Candidate (HPC) programme, has secured a full-time position in business development at TwentyFour Asset Management LLP. Lisa Levytska, a University of Cambridge and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) graduate in Modern and Medieval Languages and Financial History, will be joining Apollo Global Management, Inc. as a European Corporate Credit Summer Analyst. Lisa was part of our Summer Analyst Training Programme (Class of 2022). Isaac Bernstein, a MORSE (Maths, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics) student at the University of Warwick, will be joining Optiver in Amsterdam this April for their FutureFocus: Quants programme. Diane Mortier, a Maths and Economics student at the University of Bath, will be joining Jefferies as a Summer Analyst in Equity Sales & Trading in London. Zane Egiebade, a Management and Italian student at UCL, has secured a Spring Week at Deutsche Bank. Isaac, Diane and Zane are all alumni of the AmplifyME Summer Analyst Training Programme (Class of 2025) https://lnkd.in/egy2GdYU Amazing news and excited to see what you all go on to achieve next! 👏

AmplifyME x HKU Business School | Global Markets Competition Undergraduate students at HKU Business School got a real taste of both buy-side and sell-side roles during our on-site Pathways welcome event, which gives students practical, simulation-based experience and fast-tracked industry exposure. Stepping into the shoes of Hedge Fund managers, Sales Traders and Market Makers to experience how real-world pricing and execution unfold participants: ▶ Took on both buy-side and sell-side roles in fast-moving market scenarios   ▶ Simulated live interactions between hedge fund clients and trading desks   ▶ Assessed how shifting market conditions influence trade outcomes   ▶ Built a practical understanding of the full trade life cycle Huge thanks to HKU Business School for continuing to champion experiential learning and supporting the next generation of global markets talent.

Goldman Sachs | AmplifyME Live Global Banking Simulation Experience What would it feel like to step inside a global investment bank? Goldman Sachs is partnering with AmplifyME to engage the next generation of talent for its 2027 internship programmes. As part of this initiative, students are invited to take part in a live Global Banking Simulation Experience, designed to introduce careers across Markets, Banking and Quant roles. During this interactive virtual session, participants will step into a fast-paced simulation environment, respond to real-world scenarios and gain insight into how decisions are made inside a global investment bank. Whether you are a finance enthusiast or just curious about the industry, this is your chance to test your potential and discover exactly where your skills align within a firm like Goldman Sachs.’ 𝐄𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Open to university students graduating in 2027 or 2028. Students graduating in 2026 may also be considered 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 📅 19 March 2026 | 12:00–14:00 (UK) 📅 24 March 2026 | 17:00–19:00 (UK) 💻 Delivered virtually (Please register for one session only, both sessions deliver the same experience). Spots are limited. Register now! 👉 https://lnkd.in/eqWWRzFc

Congratulations to our AmplifyME alumni on their latest career milestones! It's hugely fulfilling to see members of our community not only get hired but also thrive in their roles. Shreya Anil has been promoted to Director, Financial Intermediaries & Strategic Partnerships, UK & Channel Islands at Capital Group. Joshua Betts has moved into a new role as a Portfolio Analytics, Risk and Performance Specialist at Coutts. Yuhana Barakzai has moved into a new role as a Power Generation Investment Analyst at Shell. Congrats to you all 👏 Your hard work and dedication continue to inspire the entire AmplifyME community. (𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘯𝘪 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘈𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦. 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 👉 𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘺𝘮𝘦.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘧𝘰𝘳-𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴/𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳-𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘺𝘴𝘵-𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨-𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 Henry Foster & Aaron Edmonds)

AmplifyME has secured a strategic investment from Northcote Equity After 17 years of building the platform, we’re excited to share this milestone and the next phase of growth for the company. AmplifyME started with a simple idea. What if aspiring finance professionals could experience real careers in finance before entering the industry? When Will de Lucy and Piers Curran founded AmplifyME in 2009, the goal was to bridge the gap between academic learning and real financial roles through immersive simulations. Today, more than 300,000 students across 100+ countries have taken part in AmplifyME simulations through partnerships with 400+ universities worldwide. So today we’re excited to share an important milestone for the company: AmplifyME has secured a strategic investment from Northcote, a growth-focused private equity firm that partners with high-potential businesses to support their next stage of development. This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our university partners, financial institutions and the global community of students and graduates who have taken part in AmplifyME simulations over the past 17 years, and of course the incredible AmplifyME team. With Northcote’s support, we’re excited for the next chapter as we continue expanding the platform globally and investing further in simulation and assessment technology. Connecting education, experience and career opportunity has always been the goal, and we’re only just getting started. Read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/eRGfQzgi

The Deals Shaping Markets This Week: From a $33bn AI Energy Bet to the Netflix-Paramount Bidding War From a $6.2 billion telecom infrastructure move in Africa to a $33 billion private equity bet on the energy powering AI data centres, the episode explores how infrastructure, activist investors and media giants are colliding in today’s dealmaking landscape. We also dive into Elliott Management’s role in the $40 billion Toyota Industries takeover, a $1 billion activist investment in Pinterest, and the dramatic conclusion to the Warner Brothers bidding battle as Paramount ultimately outmanoeuvres Netflix. For anyone interested in investment banking, private equity and the strategy behind major M&A transactions, this episode offers a clear look at the financial mechanics and strategic thinking driving the headlines. 🎧 Spotify https://lnkd.in/eN_86cBy 🎧 Apple https://lnkd.in/e-BJGSSb 🎬 YouTube https://lnkd.in/eSx3-DTm