Stock Market Enhancement (with screenshots)

[David]

The simplest, most obvious solution, would be for the stock price not to change, when there's a transaction between two companies that are both subsidiaries of the same, parent company (however far up a corporate tree that goes).

Actually the game already prohibits you to do so. Please see the below screenshot.

[RougeRogue]

The simplest, most obvious solution, would be for the stock price not to change, when there's a transaction between two companies that are both subsidiaries of the same, parent company (however far up a corporate tree that goes).

Actually the game already prohibits you to do so. Please see the below screenshot.

Sorry, perhaps my explanation wasn't exact enough -- I'm saying that when two companies that are both subsidiaries of a parent company, as in my example (the long post BEFORE the one you quoted), buy stock in yet another company from one another, perhaps the price of the stock should not change, as it might be treated as simply a sale of assets at the going market price.

In further detail:
Let's say "Player Co." owns 75% of Company B, and 75% of Company C.
Both Company B and Company C each own 50% of Company D (so, they own 100%, between them, Player Co. owns no Company D stock, directly).
Company B buys 5% of Company D's stock from Company C -- since both Company B and Company C are controlled by Player Co., perhaps the price of Company D's stock should not change, with that transaction -- the transaction occurs at the current market price, to prevent Player Co. from being able to drive up Company D's stock price by swapping stock back and forth between Company B and Company C.

Hopefully, that explains my point better? If not, take a look at that longer post (the second-to-last post on page three of this thread), to see how I easily made over $10 billion in one game-day's work....

[Kamino72]

It would be nice to be able to sort (by a click on the title) the different lists, by P/E, by capitalization, by owned%, etc.

[David]

Modifications have been made to prevent the player from manipulating stock prices. In the next version, players will not be allowed to buy a stock in which the player corporation’s subsidiaries have any ownership.

[WilliamMGary]

Modifications have been made to prevent the player from manipulating stock prices. In the next version, players will not be allowed to buy a stock in which the player corporation’s subsidiaries have any ownership.

W00T!

[RougeRogue]

How about stock split?
i think if your company's price is more than $50, you should be able to split stocks like 2-1 3-1 5-1 10-1, because I'm not a Warren Buffet so I don't like my stocks to cost $2000 and more.

I, too, would love to see stocks able to split -- I think it would fit in well as a function of the existing "Investor Relations Department," in a headquarters.

[WilliamMGary]

I, too, would love to see stocks able to split -- I think it would fit in well as a function of the existing "Investor Relations Department," in a headquarters.

+1

[David]

The simplest, most obvious solution, would be for the stock price not to change, when there's a transaction between two companies that are both subsidiaries of the same, parent company (however far up a corporate tree that goes).

Actually the game already prohibits you to do so. Please see the below screenshot.

Sorry, perhaps my explanation wasn't exact enough -- I'm saying that when two companies that are both subsidiaries of a parent company, as in my example (the long post BEFORE the one you quoted), buy stock in yet another company from one another, perhaps the price of the stock should not change, as it might be treated as simply a sale of assets at the going market price.

In further detail:
Let's say "Player Co." owns 75% of Company B, and 75% of Company C.
Both Company B and Company C each own 50% of Company D (so, they own 100%, between them, Player Co. owns no Company D stock, directly).
Company B buys 5% of Company D's stock from Company C -- since both Company B and Company C are controlled by Player Co., perhaps the price of Company D's stock should not change, with that transaction -- the transaction occurs at the current market price, to prevent Player Co. from being able to drive up Company D's stock price by swapping stock back and forth between Company B and Company C.

Hopefully, that explains my point better? If not, take a look at that longer post (the second-to-last post on page three of this thread), to see how I easily made over $10 billion in one game-day's work....

I have tested it with the latest version for above.

When Company D bought back its own shares, it didn't push the stock price up -- the Company D's stock price stayed the same.

So exploits will not work here.

[David]

The aforementioned improvement to the stock market has been implemented already.

You may now download the latest patch version 2.2.00 at: http://www.capitalismlab.com/forum/view ... =10&t=1361

[RougeRogue]

I've tried out the alternative simulation version of the stock market -- kudos for the simple fix of the most egregious form of stock market manipulation! This new version does still allow for the "bum rush" manipulation, which isn't as profitable, but still quite potentially game-wrecking. Here's how it works:

Player Co. owns 75% of stock-focused Company B.
Company B is cash-rich, so buys ALL available stock of Company C, immediately (have Company B borrow money, if needed, to accomplish this).
Player forces Company C to borrow maximum money, then purchase back its own shares from Company B (at the ridiculously inflated stock price), until all Company C cash is exhausted.
(To rub salt in the wound, have Company C issue a few shares, then buy them right back, so it can't issue any more shares any time soon)
Company B sells ALL remaining shares of Company C, which will shortly, likely, go bankrupt (big bank debt, no cash).
Company B, a little bit cash-richer for its efforts, repeats the same process with any/every other company.
Player Co. eventually merges with Company B, receiving all the newly-acquired cash, while all other companies are circling the proverbial bowl.

If needed, I can post pictures of the process, but hopefully, I explained it well enough?

...

I would propose that the simplest 'fix' would be to disallow Player from having Company C buy back its own shares, in the same manner that Player cannot currently have a company buy back its own shares if Player Co. owns the controlling interest in the company, directly (Company C is still free to buy back its own shares, but only if initiated by the AI, as is currently the case).

What do you think?