6

Should we allow questions of the kind:

  • Is it a good time to buy X?

... where X denotes a financial instrument such as a currency, a stock, a mutual find, an index, etc.?

Consider if these questions provide answers with lasting value or would simply be of a speculative nature. Why else should or shouldn't such questions be on-topic?

4
  • Sample question: money.stackexchange.com/questions/3509/…
    – bstpierre
    Sep 9, 2010 at 17:36
  • 1
    I just closed the question. Overwhelming discussion to close in answers and no dissenting opinion.
    – Alex B
    Sep 9, 2010 at 19:10
  • I just added the following to the FAQ as an off-topic example: Requests for specific buy/sell advice; e.g. "should I sell X" or "should I buy Y"
    – Chris W. Rea
    Feb 4, 2011 at 13:26
  • 1
    I just added or "will X continue to go up?" to the FAQ list from @ChrisWRea.
    – Alex B
    Feb 10, 2011 at 17:02

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
10

Specific buy and sell recommendations should not be a part of this site. It is one of the highest-voted off-topic question in this site's charter:

Area 51: Finance & Money - Off-Topic Questions

[Close as too localized]

4
  • 1
    I agree. I'm seeking additional community feedback on this only because the question at issue refers to a currency, not a stock as in the example off-topic question you pointed to. I'd like the community to support the idea that specific buy/sell recommendations of any kind financial instrument is off-topic.
    – Chris W. Rea
    Sep 9, 2010 at 19:11
  • @Chris W. Rea: I would support that 100%. Specific buying (and selling) advice is ill-advised on any SE site—doubly so on an financial Q&A—whether you are talking about stocks, currency, computers, appliances or trading cards. I'm completely consistent on this assertion.
    – Robert Cartaino
    Sep 10, 2010 at 2:19
  • 1
    "Should I sell my Honus Wagner tobacco baseball card for $2.35 million, or would I be getting ripped off?" ;-)
    – Chris W. Rea
    Sep 10, 2010 at 11:27
  • 1
    @Chris: No, that's a terrible deal. Sell it to be for a dollar twenty five.
    – John Gietzen
    Oct 5, 2010 at 1:58
12

This is the definition of the too localized close reason:

This question would only be relevant to a small geographic area, a specific moment in time, or an extraordinarily narrow situation that is not generally applicable to the worldwide audience of the internet. [emphasis added]

I believe these questions are off topic and should be closed.

10

I lean towards 'no' because the answers to the question could become obsolete at any time, and someone who stumbles upon the question in the future may not realize that they are getting 'old' advice.

I think this site would function better as a repository of financial advice that could apply at any time; now or 10 years from now. Stock tips (and similar predictions) are too volatile.

1
  • 2
    Agreed, this type of question is akin to stock buying tips.
    – George Marian
    Sep 9, 2010 at 14:33
3

Coming late to the party as usual...

I do agree with the too localised part - both geographically and in time - but if we allowed these questions I would have another concern, namely that we'll have a big sign on the door "spammers welcome". If we don't make these questions unwelcome, we'd end up with every pump & dump merchant using a sock puppet to ask 'is it a good time to buy my penny stock?'.

IMHO that should be a good reason already to not allow these questions.

2

I believe that maybe if this type of question could be rephrased to something with lasting value, it could be appropriate. Something like, "If the market conditions are [like this], would it be a good time to buy this [specific industry stock/currency from a specific region]".

An example of this could be something like "If the global price of oil has dropped to 10 year lows, would it be a good idea to buy an oil producer on the thought that their stock would improve with the price of oil?"

Leaving it vague like this can add some lasting value to it - by making it generic enough that it could be used again.

Just an idea.

Thoughts for/against?

1
  • That would be an excellent question. I would not close questions worded this way.
    – Alex B
    Feb 10, 2011 at 17:01

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .