How a ‘lucky’ investor took home the £100 prize

Beating 12,500 fantasy fund managers over a week of trading to claim a £100 prize requires a fair bit of luck as well as savvy stock picking.

But for last week’s winner, Hakan Iscan, a 56-year-old minicab driver from London, it was all down to good fortune.

The amateur investor admitted to taking a stab in the dark by going all in on mining stocks when he noticed they were gathering momentum.

“There was no logic behind the decision other than jumping on stocks that seemed to be doing well. Really, I have no idea what I am doing,” he said.

In total, his Telegraph fantasy fund jumped by £11,000, or 10.5pc, in a week. A large stake in Hochschild Mining, which gained 18pc, propelled his fund higher than his rivals’ portfolios.

Mr Iscan has not always had much success in real-world investing. His biggest loss came in 1999 when shares he had bought in Cable & Wireless for £10 fell to 50p when he sold them.

He put his mixed track record down to his tendency to be too emotional when investing.

“If something goes up by 5pc I want to sell it, if it goes down by 20pc I want to buy more. I don’t think I am the best investor,” he said.

He said he preferred stocks to funds because it was easier to make a quick profit. “I like seeing returns jump a lot in a day. I think funds are dull, so I prefer to trade stocks. I also play the lottery,” he said.

Mr Iscan currently has no stock market investments. His trading is a hobby that he indulges in only when he has cash to spare. He said he would spend his £100 prize on a Telegraph subscription so he could learn more about financial markets.

“I have two young children and spend a lot of time working. The spare 30 minutes I have a day I like to spend reading about markets, so this will help support that learning,” he said.

The Telegraph’s Fantasy Fund Manager game runs until October. Enter free now at telegraph.co.uk/fantasyfund for the chance to win £20,000.