On Oct. 10, the NASDAQ market experienced one of the largest drops in market history. Meanwhile, here in Kalispell, FHS students involved in the investment club could only watch as their stock plummeted. Still, club members were unphased by the drop.

   "Despite investment club losses, we have greatly benefited from the market’s volatility," said club president Luke Treloar. "Not in the financial sense, but in the educational sense."

   Second semester of last year, a small group of FHS students gathered to get not only a greater understanding of the way the stock market works, but also to make a small profit.

   Two sections of the club were devised, the first to educate, and the second to do actual investing. Funds were placed in a technology-heavy mutual fund from Munder Investments.

   "In the beginning, we enjoyed a fairly profitable ride," said Treloar. "But, with the devaluation of the NASDAQ market, we were affected proportionately."

   The shake in the market was no surprise to many investors, due to a court ruling last March against Microsoft. The effect was devastating for many investors who had enjoyed profits from technological stocks. Inside the club, there has been a push to switch over from their current investment strategy to more day-trading.

   "That is not the point of investment club," said Treloar of day trading. "Investment club is set up for long term investing."

   As Treloar and his cohorts tentatively watch and wait out this trough in the market, their investment is actually building steam. In the past year, the club’s investment in Munder had gone down by 6 percent.

   "The stock kept going down and down," said senior Tom Biby. "And every time Luke went to sell it, it would go back up."

   In addition to the current problems the investment club was having a new bomb was dropped. On the morning of Thursday, Oct. 26, the Nasdaq took a major hit. Not only did the market drop 93 points, but also the club’s specific investment dropped 9% The high times of investing seemed to have come to an end.

   "As a club, we arrived at the decision to wait out selling (our stock) until after the election, in hopes that a new political face will boost economic prosperity," said Treloar. "But, on days like Thursday, staring a 9 percent loss in the face, it I difficult not to get swept up in emotional selling or panic trading.

   However, we must maintain our decorum and evaluate the market in a mature fashion."

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