macOS Big Sur 11.6 Stocks app opens autonomously and I don't know why

Question

The Stocks app on my iMac opens (apparently) on its own, in the background, multiple times per day. The only info I can find is from syslog:

Oct 19 11:05:03 myHostname com.apple.xpc.launchd[1]: Coalition Cache Hit: application<com.apple.stocks(501)> [18249]

This generally shows up immediately followed by:

Oct 19 11:05:04 myHostname syncdefaultsd[96588]: objc[96588]: Class SYDClient is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SyncedDefaults.framework/Versions/A/SyncedDefaults and /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SyncedDefaults.framework/Support/syncdefaultsd. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

Oct 19 11:05:04 myHostname syncdefaultsd[96588]: objc[96588]: Class SYDJournal is implemented in both /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SyncedDefaults.framework/Versions/A/SyncedDefaults and /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SyncedDefaults.framework/Support/syncdefaultsd. One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

where 96588 (in this particular instance) is a PID a couple higher than Stocks:

me@myHostname log % ps -ef | grep 9658 
501 96586     1   0 11:05AM ??         0:02.82 /System/Applications/Stocks.app/Contents/MacOS/Stocks

so I am not sure they are related except in time–though the timing is pretty consistent.

I am not sure where to go from here. The Stocks app is not among the apps started at boot time, nor is it in a cron. It looks like it starts about every 7.5 minutes during some periods when I am actively using my computer, though I can't tie it to any specific usage behavior of mine.

ETA:

I reviewed the logs in the Console app, and find that dasd just seems to be kicking it off. I am baffled as to why.

default 08:19:19.401293-0700    dasd    com.apple.pushLaunch.com.apple.stocks:8AB892:[
    {name: DeviceActivityPolicy, policyWeight: 5.000, response: {Decision: Can Proceed, Score: 0.40}}
 ] sumScores:91.910000, denominator:94.910000, FinalDecision: Can Proceed FinalScore: 0.968391}

default 08:19:19.401442-0700    dasd    'com.apple.pushLaunch.com.apple.stocks:8AB892' DecisionToRun: 1 (Bypasses Predictions)

default 08:19:19.404943-0700    dasd    com.apple.pushLaunch.com.apple.stocks:8AB892:[
    {name: DeviceActivityPolicy, policyWeight: 5.000, response: {Decision: Can Proceed, Score: 0.40}}
 ] sumScores:91.910000, denominator:94.910000, FinalDecision: Can Proceed FinalScore: 0.968391}

default 08:19:21.596059-0700    runningboardd   Launch request for application<com.apple.stocks(501)> is using uid 501 (divined from auid 501 euid 501)

Why would dasd even be evaluating a desktop app for execution?

Answer 1

I can reproduce your syslog line if I enable iCloud synchronisation of Stocks. I conclude that what you are seeing is normal behaviour with the Stocks app briefly running in the background to synchronise your Stocks settings - even if you have not used Stocks!

Try disabling Stocks in System Preferences:

Here it is enabled, so untick it.

BUT:

Unticking Stocks disables the reports in syslog which refer to synchronising Stocks settings across your Apple devices. It does not stop Stocks from running regularly in the background (or is it being regularly assessed to run?). I surmise that it does this to provide data for the Stocks widget - even though (like me) you don't use it.

You can get some idea of this activity by running the Console app to look at the unified log (not just syslog) with a search just for com.apple.stocks. Like this:

You can see dasd regularly assessing Stocks for background activity. dasd = Duet Activity Scheduler daemon.