diff --git a/src/cache/store.zig b/src/cache/store.zig
index 6120885..39088cc 100644
--- a/src/cache/store.zig
+++ b/src/cache/store.zig
@@ -215,6 +215,42 @@ pub const Store = struct {
         std.fs.cwd().deleteFile(path) catch {};
     }
 
+    /// Read the close price from the last candle record without parsing the entire file.
+    /// Seeks to the end, reads the last ~256 bytes, and extracts `close:num:X`.
+    /// Returns null if the file doesn't exist or has no candle data.
+    pub fn readLastClose(self: *Store, symbol: []const u8) ?f64 {
+        const path = self.symbolPath(symbol, DataType.candles_daily.fileName()) catch return null;
+        defer self.allocator.free(path);
+
+        const file = std.fs.cwd().openFile(path, .{}) catch return null;
+        defer file.close();
+
+        const stat = file.stat() catch return null;
+        const file_size = stat.size;
+        if (file_size < 20) return null; // too small to have candle data
+
+        // Read the last 256 bytes (one candle line is ~100 bytes, gives margin)
+        const read_size: u64 = @min(256, file_size);
+        file.seekTo(file_size - read_size) catch return null;
+
+        var buf: [256]u8 = undefined;
+        const n = file.readAll(buf[0..@intCast(read_size)]) catch return null;
+        const chunk = buf[0..n];
+
+        // Find the last complete line (skip trailing newline, then find the previous newline)
+        const trimmed = std.mem.trimRight(u8, chunk, "\n");
+        if (trimmed.len == 0) return null;
+        const last_nl = std.mem.lastIndexOfScalar(u8, trimmed, '\n');
+        const last_line = if (last_nl) |pos| trimmed[pos + 1 ..] else trimmed;
+
+        // Extract close:num:VALUE from the line
+        const marker = "close:num:";
+        const close_start = std.mem.indexOf(u8, last_line, marker) orelse return null;
+        const val_start = close_start + marker.len;
+        const val_end = std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, last_line[val_start..], ',') orelse (last_line.len - val_start);
+        return std.fmt.parseFloat(f64, last_line[val_start .. val_start + val_end]) catch null;
+    }
+
     /// Clear all cached data.
     pub fn clearAll(self: *Store) !void {
         std.fs.cwd().deleteTree(self.cache_dir) catch {};
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/portfolio.zig b/src/cli/commands/portfolio.zig
index 6ede276..7e88fb8 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/portfolio.zig
+++ b/src/cli/commands/portfolio.zig
@@ -76,17 +76,14 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
             const is_fresh = svc.isCandleCacheFresh(sym);
 
             if (is_fresh and !force_refresh) {
-                // Load from cache (no network)
-                if (svc.getCachedCandles(sym)) |cs| {
-                    defer allocator.free(cs);
-                    if (cs.len > 0) {
-                        try prices.put(sym, cs[cs.len - 1].close);
-                    }
-                    // Cached (including negative cache entries with 0 candles)
-                    cached_count += 1;
-                    try cli.stderrProgress(sym, " (cached)", loaded_count, all_syms_count, color);
-                    continue;
+                // Read only the last close price from cache (no full deserialization)
+                if (svc.getCachedLastClose(sym)) |close| {
+                    try prices.put(sym, close);
                 }
+                // Cached (including negative cache entries where getCachedLastClose returns null)
+                cached_count += 1;
+                try cli.stderrProgress(sym, " (cached)", loaded_count, all_syms_count, color);
+                continue;
             }
 
             // Need to fetch from API
@@ -242,14 +239,15 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
     try out.print("  Lots: {d} open, {d} closed    Positions: {d} symbols\n", .{ open_lots, closed_lots, positions.len });
     try cli.reset(out, color);
 
-    // Historical portfolio value snapshots
+    // Build candle map once for historical snapshots and risk metrics.
+    // This avoids parsing the full candle history multiple times.
+    var candle_map = std.StringHashMap([]const zfin.Candle).init(allocator);
+    defer {
+        var it = candle_map.valueIterator();
+        while (it.next()) |v| allocator.free(v.*);
+        candle_map.deinit();
+    }
     {
-        var candle_map = std.StringHashMap([]const zfin.Candle).init(allocator);
-        defer {
-            var it = candle_map.valueIterator();
-            while (it.next()) |v| allocator.free(v.*);
-            candle_map.deinit();
-        }
         const stock_syms = try portfolio.stockSymbols(allocator);
         defer allocator.free(stock_syms);
         for (stock_syms) |sym| {
@@ -257,6 +255,10 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
                 try candle_map.put(sym, cs);
             }
         }
+    }
+
+    // Historical portfolio value snapshots
+    {
         if (candle_map.count() > 0) {
             const snapshots = zfin.risk.computeHistoricalSnapshots(
                 fmt.todayDate(),
@@ -676,6 +678,7 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
         // Helper to render a watch symbol
         const renderWatch = struct {
             fn f(o: *std.Io.Writer, c: bool, s: *zfin.DataService, a2: std.mem.Allocator, sym: []const u8, any: *bool) !void {
+                _ = a2;
                 if (!any.*) {
                     try o.print("\n", .{});
                     try cli.setBold(o, c);
@@ -685,11 +688,8 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
                 }
                 var price_str2: [16]u8 = undefined;
                 var ps2: []const u8 = "--";
-                if (s.getCachedCandles(sym)) |candles2| {
-                    defer a2.free(candles2);
-                    if (candles2.len > 0) {
-                        ps2 = fmt.fmtMoney2(&price_str2, candles2[candles2.len - 1].close);
-                    }
+                if (s.getCachedLastClose(sym)) |close| {
+                    ps2 = fmt.fmtMoney2(&price_str2, close);
                 }
                 try o.print("  " ++ fmt.sym_col_spec ++ " {s:>10}\n", .{ sym, ps2 });
             }
@@ -733,8 +733,7 @@ pub fn run(allocator: std.mem.Allocator, config: zfin.Config, svc: *zfin.DataSer
         var any_risk = false;
 
         for (summary.allocations) |a| {
-            if (svc.getCachedCandles(a.symbol)) |candles| {
-                defer allocator.free(candles);
+            if (candle_map.get(a.symbol)) |candles| {
                 if (zfin.risk.computeRisk(candles)) |metrics| {
                     if (!any_risk) {
                         try out.print("\n", .{});
diff --git a/src/service.zig b/src/service.zig
index 6bc5ea8..8b6aea4 100644
--- a/src/service.zig
+++ b/src/service.zig
@@ -394,6 +394,13 @@ pub const DataService = struct {
         return s.isFresh(symbol, .candles_daily) catch false;
     }
 
+    /// Read only the latest close price from cached candles (no full deserialization).
+    /// Returns null if no cached data exists.
+    pub fn getCachedLastClose(self: *DataService, symbol: []const u8) ?f64 {
+        var s = self.store();
+        return s.readLastClose(symbol);
+    }
+
     /// Estimate wait time (in seconds) before the next TwelveData API call can proceed.
     /// Returns 0 if a request can be made immediately. Returns null if no API key.
     pub fn estimateWaitSeconds(self: *DataService) ?u64 {