Supershare '98

Another £50 goes into the pocket of 17-year-old Paul Walton as he stays on top of the Supershare tree - but only just.

Paul, a York Sixth Form College student of Temple Lane, Copmanthorpe received his second daily winner's prize from Rod Lowery, consultant with Supershare sponsors, Walsh Lucas & Company, the independent financial advisers in Micklegate, York.

His portfolio was Iceland (£5,000), National Grid (£500), Kingfisher (£4000) and Spring Ram (£500). And it transformed his fantasy £10,000 worth of investment money into £12,324.53

Yet again Paul shares his winnings with fellow student and best mate Matthew Wilson, of Copmanthorpe, his consortium partner.

Paul, who is also sixth, said that their victory yesterday had been acclaimed by fellow students at the Sixth Form College, some of whom were carefully following the duo's fortunes on the Stock Market.

Paul said: "Now for the hat-trick tomorrow in the first stage towards winning that £2,000 first prize or even £1,000 second prize at the end of the month."

The repeat win thrilled Matthew, who with Paul bought 50 copies of the Evening Press and received donations from friends of another 40 in order to fill out the entry forms and to swap names. Between them, they now have five entries in the Top 100.

Matthew said: "I've just failed my driving test but the news really cheered me up!"

Paul's hopes of staying at the top are not based on ground as firm as it was yesterday. Then he was a record £130.22 ahead of nearest rival Mark Brough, a seemingly unassailable gap.

But zooming into the picture to knock Mark off his daily runner-up perch into eighth place is Geoffrey Jackson, a telephone engineer with British Telecom.

Geoffrey, who lives in Sheriff Hutton, has whittled Paul's lead down to a mere £14.20. "One share up or down and I can do it," he says.

But no one has budged Dudley Williams, 61, of Copmanthorpe, from his third place slot. The retired head of the works study department of the old TSB in York says: "At least I'm consistent!"

While every single entry in today's Top 100 featured Iceland as a source of big investment (between £4,000 and £5,000) the massive rise of Railtrack yesterday by 43p to 1,033 had a big influence on places.

Barrie Bluck, of Leeds stockbroker, Redmayne Bentley explained: "The buying of Railtrack shares followed details of its plan to invest £17 billion over the next 10 years."

Other Supershare plcs beat the trend as the Stock Market at first broke through the 6,000 barrier yet again before profit taking saw trading end 15.9p down on the day at 5,967.

"Marks and Spencer broke through the £6 barrier to end 16p up at 615p on news of the £69 million Tarmac contract to enlarge and refurbish some M & S stores in the UK and France."

By the way, anyone notice who has quietly crept back into the Top 100 at 100th? That's right: Christine Tate, of Powell Road, Selby who at the start of Supershare took the bowler hat-trick of daily first prizes, a feat that has not yet been matched. "Maybe it's a sign," she says.

Footnote: Now is not the time to slacken off. Some entries in today's Top 100 were submitted just four days ago. Which proves that WHEN you send your entries doesn't matter half as much as WHAT your portfolio consists of. Your new entry could still zoom to the front and put you in the money... and in the glory. So buy your Evening Press and enter NOW.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.