Am I being too nosy? My friends who started investing see stocks as prices, I told them its a wrong approach to investing?

I don't think you're being nosy. You care for them so it's just having their best interests at heart but perhaps a softer approach could be better. You can try to understand their motivations on why they want to go into the stock market. Normally, it's either your friends are aspiring to be investors or traders.

If your friends' motivation is for long-term investment, then probably some of them will reflect on your advice about looking at the business behind the stock ticker.

If they're the latter, then the fundamentals underlying the business are less important. However, they must also know that as a retail trader - according to Anton Kreil, a former institution trader - the industry is set-up for them to fail. Link to video here. As also mentioned by Dr. Wealth in this article here & from Robin Ho himself, it's tough being a trader.

Maybe once some friends have turned over so many rocks to find how to get consistent returns (and it may also mean they could have paid their tuition fee to Mr. Market), then they may start to look at the other side.

Investing is much simpler, some could even say 'boring'. Understandably, people like quick gains. The reality is trading may not be for everyone, but investing can be.

I believe anyone, who puts in hard work, perseverance, knowledge, and vision, can succeed and retire comfortably with a reasonable amount of wealth accumulated over decades of time.

Anyway, you've done your part. You've planted the seed. One day, perhaps, they may be ready to see it your way.​​​

I would explain to them the difference between investing, trading and speculating. What is margin. I would also state to them that it is not my approach and instead encourage them to save money/their profits.

When market is going up, everyone is a guru, truth be told, more gurus are appearing on Facebook, Seedly, Reddit, YouTube, Tik Tok and so on.

When they make money, even by luck, it is very hard to argue against them. As beginners, there is a high chance that they have many biasness (eg. I was personally too intrigued by Robert Kiyosaki's thoughts, but after awhile, I realised his personal finance advice were way better than his other investment advice.)

It's good that your friends gets started, you would have done your job as a friend to remind them of the risk, but honestly, investors inherently will think they are correct when they make a bet. (Me including)

If you keep telling them that it is a wrong approach, you will look like a sore loser or wet blanket. Just share with them tips to manage their portfolio, take profits or risk management.

If they follow, with luck, they may walk away with profits, or lose limited amount.

All investment strategy works at different stage of market. Earn money can already.

As long as you retain your profits, even a mediocre investment can be a good investment, who cares if it's the correct approach? Very little people do.

Instead of harping on that, why not try to state your preferred strategy (looking at stocks as business), and share useful tips where both their "strategies" and your strategy aligns.

Portfolio Management and profit taking/cut losses are two topics that intersect multiple discipline.

1. Do you invest in stocks yourself? If you do, perhaps you can share with them what you do before investing in stocks etc and guide them?

2. Just let them be since it’s their $$$ and if they lose, take it as they paid to learn a life lesson! 😅😀

Nobody likes to be told that they're wrong. Just try it. Go up to anyone and say "you're wrong" - it's a sure fire way to lose anybody's attention.

If you really want to help your friends, find out why they do things the way they do things. I'm sure they have their reasons.

On the other hand, there's a limit to how much you can "help" your friends without meddling in their lives. You can politely point them to a better way to do things, but don't take it on yourself to ensure that their money is safe. That's a very hard way to live.