DBS Bank chief executive Piyush Gupta boiled his investment strategy down to a simple clear message for students yesterday - focus on a few macro trends and the fundamentals, and your portfolio is likely to prosper over the long term.
Mr Gupta told seminar attendees at Singapore Management University (SMU): "Benjamin Graham, the original guru of investing, had a famous quote: 'In the short term, the stock market behaves like a voting machine, but in the long term, it acts like a weighing machine.'
"If you want to take a long-term view, base it on fundamentals and value."
The seminar, which was aimed at tertiary students between 17 and 25 years old, was the first of its kind from MoneySense, a national financial literacy programme.
The My Money @ Campus Seminar, as it is known, is also a tie-up with the Association of Banks in Singapore and Securities Investors Association Singapore (Sias).
MoneySense is spearheaded by the Financial Education Steering Committee (FESC), chaired by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
Mr Gupta also talked about the investment guidelines that have had an impact on the way he runs DBS and his personal approach to investing.
Mr Wilson Teo, 23, a year-two SMU business management student, told The Straits Times that the seminar taught him "to invest in fundamentals and not tips, not just in investments but also in life".
Other speakers also addressed the theme of building an affordable investment portfolio, giving students tips on gaining financial knowledge and investment skills.
The MAS noted that more of such events will be held at other universities and polytechnics, with speakers tailoring their presentations for students looking to enter the workforce.
"Tertiary students are at an important juncture of their lives as they will soon join the workforce," said Mr Lee Boon Ngiap, MAS assistant managing director for capital markets and chairman of the MoneySense steering committee.
"Through My Money @ Campus, we hope to give students a head start in learning how to manage future income, plan, save and invest for their financial well-being."
Sias chief executive David Gerald urged students at the seminar to study their investments carefully, take their time and not jump in based on rumours, and spend time on investor education.
He added: "Investing has always been full of challenges but we can overcome them by being prudent investors. It is crucial that we reach out to young people to show them how. We need to prepare them early for their financial future."
