Business professionals and Wichita State University Barton School of Business Students are invited to join the S&P 500 Stock Market Prediction Challenge. In this challenge you will make a prediction of what the closing value of the S&P 500 will be on Thursday, September 5, 2024.

The most accurate prediction in each group will win:

Complimentary ticket to the 45th Annual Kansas Economic Outlook Conference in October 2024.
Recognition - Award presented on stage at the event and on the CEDBR website
Major Networking Opportunity - As an attendee at the event, you will have access to hundreds of state and local business leaders

Thank you to our Stock Market Prediction Challenge Sponsor

2023 Student Prediction

2023 S&P 500 Prediction Challenge Results

For the Center for Economic Development’s 2023 S&P 500 Prediction Challenge, WSU students and Kansas business professionals provided their predictions for the value of the S&P 500 stock market index at close on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Students predicted, on average, a closing value of 3,892, indicating a 5.2% lower than 4,109, the S&P’s closing value on Friday, March 31st, 2023.

The median response represents the majority opinion, as an average includes extremes that skew the data. For example, the median of all undergraduate student guesses was 3,900, about a 5% decrease from the S&P at the end of March. On the other hand, the median of all graduate students was far more optimistic, at 4,199, a 2.2% increase.

Wall Street professionals are generally optimistic about S&P growth by year-end 2023, but many remain cautious and are giving consideration to the Federal Reserve’s decision-making and its impact on the economy.

S&P 500 2023 Prediction Results
	Undergrads	Graduate Students and Professionals	Respondent Total
Minimum	2,105	3,950	2,105
Lower Quartile	3,525.37	3,950	3,813.55
Mean	3,799.55	4,149.91	3,852.86
Median	3,900	4,163.30	3,938.95
Upper Quartile	4,114.33	4,234	4,231.46
Maximum	5,069.42	4,252.34	5,069.42

2023 Winners

2023 Stock Market Prediction Winners

Student Winner	Business Winner

Joe Knorp, Finance MBA Student	Shawn Riley President & CEO, Campus Credit Union