TL;DR
At the start of 2026 Excel's StockHistory function began returning connection errors for web and desktop users, interrupting access to market data. Microsoft acknowledged inquiries but provided no detailed explanation; service returned after several days and users sought alternatives in the interim.
What happened
Users reported that Excel's StockHistory function started returning 'unable to connect' style errors as the new year began, affecting both the web and desktop versions of the spreadsheet application. The issue was flagged by a reader to reporters, surfaced in social media posts and in Microsoft's feedback forums. The data for the StockHistory feature is supplied by LSEG Data & Analytics, though the source of the disruption was not confirmed. A Microsoft spokesperson confirmed receiving questions about the outage but did not offer further detail. A support chat visible on Reddit described the problem as a 'known bug.' Several users said similar outages have happened in prior years and complained about relying on the feature as part of their Microsoft 365 subscription. After several days the function began working again, but some users had already moved to alternative data sources during the interruption.
Why it matters
- Investors and spreadsheet users depend on timely market feeds; outages can impede real-time decision-making.
- Many customers pay for Microsoft 365 access specifically to use integrated finance features, raising reliability expectations.
- When embedded data services fail, users may shift to competitors or external feeds, affecting user trust and workflow continuity.
- Outages that span both web and desktop apps suggest broader integration or upstream-provider issues rather than isolated clients.
Key facts
- The problem affected Excel's StockHistory function at the start of 2026.
- Users encountered connection errors on both web and desktop versions of Excel.
- StockHistory data is provided through LSEG Data & Analytics.
- Microsoft acknowledged receipt of questions but did not publicly disclose detailed cause information.
- A support chat posted on Reddit referred to the issue as a 'known bug.'
- Some users reported similar outages occurring in prior years, describing it as recurring roughly twice a year.
- Functionality was reported to have been restored after several days.
- During the outage, some users sought alternative data sources to track markets.
What to watch next
- Whether Microsoft or LSEG publish a technical postmortem explaining root cause and remediation steps (not confirmed in the source).
- Any changes to SLAs, support commitments, or customer communications from Microsoft regarding financial-data features (not confirmed in the source).
- Reports of recurrence or a pattern of outages for StockHistory in future updates or calendar events (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- StockHistory (Excel): An Excel function that retrieves historical or current financial data for securities, used to populate spreadsheets with market information.
- LSEG Data & Analytics: A financial markets data provider that supplies market data and analytics to clients and platforms.
- Microsoft 365: Microsoft's subscription service that bundles Office applications, cloud services and feature updates for individuals and businesses.
- Connection error: A generic error indicating a failure to establish or maintain a data link between a client application and a data provider or service.
Reader FAQ
What exactly went wrong with StockHistory?
The function returned connection errors for many users; the precise technical cause was not disclosed in the source.
Was the outage limited to one platform?
No — reports indicated both web and desktop versions of Excel were affected.
Who supplies the StockHistory data?
The source identifies LSEG Data & Analytics as the provider of StockHistory data.
Did Microsoft explain the cause or provide a timeline for a fix?
Microsoft confirmed receiving questions but did not offer further detail in the source; the service was restored after several days.
Will affected users receive compensation or credits?
not confirmed in the source
APPLICATIONS StockHistory function becomes StockMystery as Microsoft Excel bugs out New Year glitch leaves users staring at connection errors instead of market data Richard Speed Tue 6 Jan 2026 // 15:02 UTC For many,…
Sources
- StockHistory function becomes StockMystery as Microsoft Excel bugs out
- Excel STOCKHISTORY Function not working – Jan 1st, 2026
- Microsoft opens 2026 with a broken Excel function
- StockHistory formula in EXCEL Stopped Working
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