So I was thinking, how about...a stock market for HP (yes, I know Neopets does it too..)!

It could be a very simple system, based, for example, on items purchased at the store. Or, so as to avoid sporadic bulk-buying of, say, abaco barb geldings, it could be based on data independent of player activities using pre-programmed, randomly-valued factors such as 'weather'. The items in the stock market could include a field shelter, stable rugs, horse trailers, hay etc. Players could observe the week's "forecast" (x shows coming to Phenometown, a particularly cold winter (4 weeks, 4 seasons: affecting food/rugs/shelters/shows etc) and choose to invest from there. Lots of people investing correct combination of influential factors = higher dividends. If players have invested right, players could collect these on a weekly basis right next to our 'collect weekly paycheck'.

The stock market could have some regulatory rules. Perhaps only upgraded members could play (another incentive to upgrade, a way to increase upgrade purchases). Perhaps you start out with a Basic Trader's licence and you can only invest a certain amount if you win the previous week. You get 'rewarded' with a 'Gold Licence' (hello Achievement!) if you win over a successive amount of times.

A simpler idea but similar lines is a long-term "super-savers" bank account/long-term stock options where players could put, say, a certain amount of money (limited to 10% of their bank account) and collect interest rates over a certain amount of time (I'm think tri-annually, or bi-monthly). We're all 'worrying' about the HP economy. Well, what do you do to control inflation the real world? That's right! Increase interest rates!

Perhaps this is utter madness and you need to be a programming Zeus to get it done. Perhaps I got carried away with DiCaprio's staggering performance in the Wolf of Wall Street. Perhaps I've been observed in exam revision for too long.

What do you think?

Stock Market - Hrmmm, this sounds expensive to program and complicated to monitor.  I like the idea that you are thinking out of the box on things to bring to HP though.  I just feel like this would over complicate the game.  I think one of the major factors of why people like this game is the simplicity behind it! 

Super Savers - Now this I see something that could be added and would be simple for players to work with.  Sam has already been talking about in forums about what people think about loans.  Maybe implement a whole banking system?

Super Savers - Now this I see something that could be added and would be simple for players to work with.  Sam has already been talking about in forums about what people think about loans.  Maybe implement a whole banking system?

THIS!!

I agree with Tron. Possibly creating like a "Savings" and "Checking" account type system where people can save up money for projects and such but then have their every day money that they can spend. I know on the game Wajas.com (not to pimp out another game, just using as an example) they have a system like that where you can keep money in the bank, but you still have access to the rest of your money to spend how you like. So you could stash a ton away for big purchases and whatnot.

I think something like that would be beneficial to players, along with the loan idea. But I do think that the stock idea sounds a bit too complex with what we're already doing.