OpenBB-finance/OpenBB · warning · EmptyDataError

No data was returned -> \n{messages[-1]}

Error message

No data was returned -> \n{messages[-1]}

What it means

AlphaVantageHistoricalEpsFetcher.a_fetch_data (historical_eps.py:151) fans out one request per symbol via amake_requests, collecting provider messages; if after all callbacks `results` is empty it raises EmptyDataError("No data was returned -> \n{messages[-1]}") so the platform surfaces the provider's last message (typically 'Symbol Error' or an API-limit note). EmptyDataError is OpenBB's standard 'provider returned nothing' signal and maps to a clean empty result upstream.

Source

Thrown at openbb_platform/providers/alpha_vantage/openbb_alpha_vantage/models/historical_eps.py:151

                result = [
                    {
                        "symbol": symbol,
                        **d,
                    }
                    for d in data.get(target, [])  # type: ignore
                ]
                if query.limit is not None:
                    results.extend(result[: query.limit])
                else:
                    results.extend(result)
            # If no data is returned, raise a warning and move on to the next symbol.
            if not data:
                warn(f"Symbol Error: No data found for {symbol}")

        await amake_requests(urls, response_callback, **kwargs)  # type: ignore

        if not results:
            raise EmptyDataError(f"No data was returned -> \n{messages[-1]}")

        return results

    @staticmethod
    def transform_data(
        query: AlphaVantageHistoricalEpsQueryParams,
        data: list[dict],
        **kwargs: Any,
    ) -> list[AlphaVantageHistoricalEpsData]:
        """Transform the raw data into the standard model."""
        if not data:
            raise EmptyDataError("No data found.")
        return [AlphaVantageHistoricalEpsData.model_validate(d) for d in data]

View on GitHub (pinned to 3e071fcc2c)

Solutions

1. Catch EmptyDataError and treat as no data for that symbol rather than a crash.
2. Verify the ticker against AV's symbol search; convert dot-suffixed share classes to AV's dash format.
3. Check the AV API key tier/rate limits — the trailing message in the error usually states the limit hit.
4. Fall back to another provider that covers the symbol (e.g. fmp) for the same field.

Example fix

# before
res = await obbject.equity.fundamental.income(symbol="BRK.B", provider="alpha_vantage", period="annual")

# after
from openbb_core.provider.standard_models.errors import EmptyDataError
try:
    res = await obbject.equity.fundamental.income(symbol="BRK-B", provider="alpha_vantage", period="annual")
except EmptyDataError:
    res = await obbject.equity.fundamental.income(symbol="BRK-B", provider="fmp", period="annual")

from av_symbol_lookup import is_valid_av_symbol  # pseudo
if not is_valid_av_symbol(symbol):
    symbol = symbol.replace(".", "-")  # AV share-class format
# also pre-check quota: alpha_vantage free tier is heavily rate-limited

from openbb_core.provider.standard_models.errors import EmptyDataError
try:
    result = await fetcher.a_fetch_data(query, credentials)
except EmptyDataError as e:
    logger.info("no AV EPS data for %s (%s)", symbol, e)
    result = []

When it happens

Trigger: Requesting Alpha Vantage historical EPS for a symbol the endpoint has no annual-reports/quarterlyEarnings data for (small caps, delisted, wrong share class), or when AV's free-tier rate limit causes every callback to warn instead of populate results.

Common situations: Batch loops over many symbols without an AV premium key (5 req/day-style limits), tickers from non-US exchanges, or symbol formats AV doesn't recognize (e.g. 'BRK.B' vs 'BRK-B').

Related errors

• No data found.
• No ratings data returned.
• The request was returned empty.
• [Empty] -> {e}
• Unexpected data format. Expected 'analyst_ratings_analyst' k

AI-assisted analysis of OpenBB-finance/OpenBB@3e071fcc2c (2026-08-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4d16e16ad61cac92. Report an issue: GitHub.