rewrote entire bot code. Functionally identical.

bot.py

@@ -0,0 +1,135 @@
+# Work with Python 3.7
+import logging
+import re
+
+import telegram
+from telegram.ext import CommandHandler, Filters, MessageHandler, Updater
+
+import credentials
+from functions import *
+
+TOKEN = credentials.secrets["TELEGRAM_TOKEN"]
+TICKER_REGEX = "[$]([a-zA-Z]{1,4})"
+
+# Enable logging
+logging.basicConfig(
+    format="%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s", level=logging.INFO
+)
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+print("Bot Online")
+
+
+# Define a few command handlers. These usually take the two arguments bot and
+# update. Error handlers also receive the raised TelegramError object in error.
+def start(bot, update):
+    """Send a message when the command /start is issued."""
+    update.message.reply_text("I am started and ready to go!")
+
+
+def help(bot, update):
+    """Send link to docs when the command /help is issued."""
+    message = "[Please see the docs for Bot information](https://misterbiggs.gitlab.io/simple-telegram-bot)"
+    update.message.reply_text(text=message, parse_mode=telegram.ParseMode.MARKDOWN)
+
+
+def tickerDetect(bot, update):
+    """
+    Runs on any message that doesn't have a command and searches for tickers, then returns the prices of any tickers found. 
+    """
+    message = update.message.text
+    chat_id = update.message.chat_id
+
+    tickers = re.findall(TICKER_REGEX, message)
+
+    data = tickerData(tickers) if tickers else {}
+
+    for ticker in data:
+        
+        # Keep track of which tickers had a return from tickerData()
+        if ticker.lower() in tickers : tickers.remove(ticker.lower())
+
+        reply = tickerDataReply(data[ticker])
+        update.message.reply_text(text=reply, parse_mode=telegram.ParseMode.MARKDOWN)
+    
+    # For any tickers that didnt have data, return that they don't exist.
+    for ticker in tickers:
+        update.message.reply_text(ticker.upper() + " does not exist, you should search for a real stock like $PSEC")
+
+
+def news(bot, update):
+    """
+    /news
+    Returns a small snippet of general information, and any news articles that are found.
+    """
+    message = update.message.text
+    chat_id = update.message.chat_id
+
+    tickers = re.findall(TICKER_REGEX, message)
+
+    news = tickerNews(tickers) if tickers else {}
+
+    for ticker in news:
+
+        reply = tickerNewsReply(news[ticker])
+        update.message.reply_text(text=reply, parse_mode=telegram.ParseMode.MARKDOWN) 
+
+        # Keep track of which tickers had a return from tickerData()
+        if ticker.lower() in tickers : tickers.remove(ticker.lower())
+
+
+def dividend(bot, update):
+    """
+    This Functions is incomplete.
+    """
+    message = update.message.text
+    chat_id = update.message.chat_id
+
+    # regex to find tickers in messages, looks for up to 4 word characters following a dollar sign and captures the 4 word characters
+    tickers = re.findall(TICKER_REGEX, message)
+    bot.send_chat_action(chat_id=chat_id, action=telegram.ChatAction.TYPING)
+
+    for ticker in tickers:
+        message = tickerDividend(ticker)
+        update.message.reply_text(
+            text=message, parse_mode=telegram.ParseMode.MARKDOWN
+        )
+
+
+
+def error(bot, update, error):
+    """Log Errors caused by Updates."""
+    logger.warning('Update "%s" caused error "%s"', update, error)
+
+
+def main():
+    """Start the bot."""
+    # Create the EventHandler and pass it your bot's token.
+    updater = Updater(TOKEN)
+
+    # Get the dispatcher to register handlers
+    dp = updater.dispatcher
+
+    # on different commands - answer in Telegram
+    dp.add_handler(CommandHandler("start", start))
+    dp.add_handler(CommandHandler("help", help))
+    dp.add_handler(CommandHandler("news", news))
+    dp.add_handler(CommandHandler("dividend", dividend))
+
+    # on noncommand i.e message - echo the message on Telegram
+    dp.add_handler(MessageHandler(Filters.text, tickerDetect))
+
+    # log all errors
+    dp.add_error_handler(error)
+
+    # Start the Bot
+    updater.start_polling()
+
+    # Run the bot until you press Ctrl-C or the process receives SIGINT,
+    # SIGTERM or SIGABRT. This should be used most of the time, since
+    # start_polling() is non-blocking and will stop the bot gracefully.
+    updater.idle()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()