A TALENTED young writer from Kent has been named as the 2005 ifsProShare Young Business Writer of the Year.

Dongxu Wu, from Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys in Canterbury, received a prize cheque of £500 from Financial Times Personal Finance Editor, Rob Budden at the ifsProShare Student Investor National Final, held at Bloomberg, London.

He was short-listed along with five other contenders in February for his essay on Changes in Saving and Borrowing in Britain.

A special presentation was made for his winning essay, which was singled out by Rob Budden who judged all the entries for its research, analysis and report writing skills.

Mr Budden said: "Dongxu displayed a clear understanding of the key issues underpinning the UK's consumer debt problem.

"What is more he tackled this potentially dry subject in a punchy and highly readable way. This is a financial journalist in the making."

The Young Business Writer of the Year competition is part of the highly acclaimed ifsProShare Student Investor programme, which is currently in its 12th year and aims to educate young people about personal finance, investment, and business economics.

ifsProShare Student Investor 2005 is sponsored by Bloomberg, HSBC, Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust and the Financial Times.