Postgraduate Quantitative Analysis students from three Irish universities have swept the boards in the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) 2018 European Quant Awards.

The competition is held annually for “quant” students, who specialise in applying mathematical and statistical methods to financial and risk management and work widely throughout the global investment industry.

First prize of €2,000 and a CFA programme registration went to Sarai Murillo Val of Queen's University Belfast. Second prize went to Stephen White of the University of Limerick, while third prize was won by by Magnus Lysberg of Trinity College Dublin. The university prize went to Queen's University Belfast.

Noel Friel, president of CFA Society Ireland, said the fact that Irish students swept the boards in the awards was testimony to the quality of quantitative financial analysis in Irish universities. "It also reflects the growing importance of quants in the global investments industry and I've no doubt that Sarai, Stephen and Magnus have great futures ahead of them."