What’s your background, what did you study?
I majored in Finance and Economics at university. I’ve worked at SIG for about a year now and have really enjoyed the experience so far!
What sparked your interest in working for a trading firm?
While I was in university, I competed in a lot of stock pitch and business case competitions. I really loved the thrill of competition, the sense of camaraderie, and the process of working in a team to solve complex problems. While I wasn’t sure of the exact career I wanted to pursue, I knew that I wanted to go into a role with those kinds of attributes. When I found out about the type of work in a trading firm, it felt like a great fit for my interests: the fast-paced nature of the work, the collaborative environment, the quick feedback loops, and the interesting problems all really appealed to me.
Tell us about your experience in the equity research program.
The Equity Research Analyst role is all about helping our traders gain an advantage in the markets. We do this in a few ways such as recommending trades on breaking news, determining how information is disseminated, and providing valuation and analysis on situations in the markets. We try to understand what factors are driving price movements and ensure that our opinions are reflected in products that we trade, particularly in options. The program starts off with an education program that covers options theory before working on the desks on research projects and later getting assigned a coverage area of stocks.
Tell us about a typical day for you.
In the morning when I get to the office, I’ll first catch up on the overnight news flow and send a recap of any impactful news to traders. Before the market opens, we have a discussion on the desk to discuss potential trading ideas that we can action.
When the market opens, I’ll actively monitor headlines for breaking news that can impact products we trade, as well as respond to any questions traders might come have. Sometimes, a piece of news will break, and we’ll work quickly to understand its implications and act on potential trading opportunities.
When the market is quieter, I’ll work on projects such as preparing for future events like an earnings announcement or potential catalysts that can affect a company. After the market closes, we’ll reflect on any situations that played out during the day and send out a recap to analysts and traders in our other offices.
Are there any skills or qualities that are essential to succeed in Research at SIG?
The key qualities essential to succeeding in research at SIG include a strong interest in the markets, the ability to think about problems critically, as well as being curious. It’s also important to be able to learn from mistakes. There will always be times where we miss out on an opportunity, or a trading opinion doesn’t play out as expected, so being able to reflect on how to improve for the future is important.
How would you describe the growth you’ve seen during your time at SIG?
Growth has been quite fast and I continue to learn every day. Research Analysts at SIG are given quite a lot of responsibility from early on, and there is a lot of autonomy and flexibility to work on different projects that interest me. When I joined, I wanted to learn about a lot of different products across many markets, and within my first few months, I was able to work on projects spanning the commodities space, Australia and Hong Kong option strategies, Japanese and Korean equities, and macroeconomic projects. I currently cover equities in the Asia-Pacific region, and really like the fact I can learn about a lot of different industries.
What do you like best about working at SIG?
The culture. People at SIG have a great sense of humour which makes the experience of working here a lot of fun. SIG also has a flat structure, there are no formal titles, and people are very friendly. You can reach out to anyone, and they will be willing to help you.
What projects and experiences have been most rewarding so far?
I think the most rewarding experiences are the ones that involve analysing a complex trading situation and recommending a trade that works out well. Every situation is different, and it’s always rewarding to see your decisions play out accurately in real time.
What three pieces of advice would you give to a graduate interviewing at SIG?