diff --git a/apps/finance/services/api/main/handler.go b/apps/finance/services/api/main/handler.go
index 5fc7281..b1fa4b2 100644
--- a/apps/finance/services/api/main/handler.go
+++ b/apps/finance/services/api/main/handler.go
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ func (h *Handler) Dashboard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	for _, c := range cats {
 		catNames[c.Name] = c.Name
 		catColors[c.Name] = c.Color
-		if c.BudgetCents > 0 {
+		// exclude fixed categories from budget health — they're committed costs, not variable spend
+		if c.BudgetCents > 0 && !FixedCategories[c.Name] {
 			catBudgets[c.Name] = c.BudgetCents
 		}
 	}
@@ -379,15 +380,30 @@ func (h *Handler) Dashboard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		lastMonthSavingsRatePct = int(float64(lastMonthSavings) / float64(lastMonthIncome) * 100)
 	}
 
-	// portfolio snapshot (best-effort, ignore errors)
+	// portfolio snapshot — degrade to cost basis if live prices are unavailable
 	var portfolioValueCents, portfolioPCLCents int64
 	var portfolioHoldings []Holding
+	var portfolioPricesAvailable bool
 	if trades, err := h.store.getTrades(ctx, a.UserID); err == nil && len(trades) > 0 {
-		if prices, err := fetchPricesByISIN(uniqueISINs(trades)); err == nil {
-			pr := aggregatePortfolio(computeHoldings(trades, prices))
+		prices, _ := fetchPricesByISIN(uniqueISINs(trades))
+		holdings := computeHoldings(trades, prices)
+		pr := aggregatePortfolio(holdings)
+		portfolioHoldings = pr.Holdings
+
+		// check whether any prices came back
+		for _, p := range prices {
+			if p > 0 {
+				portfolioPricesAvailable = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if portfolioPricesAvailable {
 			portfolioValueCents = pr.TotalVal
 			portfolioPCLCents = pr.TotalPCL
-			portfolioHoldings = pr.Holdings
+		} else {
+			// fall back to cost basis so the card is still useful
+			portfolioValueCents = pr.TotalCost
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -414,9 +430,10 @@ func (h *Handler) Dashboard(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		SafetyBufferCents:       safetyBuffer,
 		SavingsRatePct:          savingsRatePct,
 		LastMonthSavingsRatePct: lastMonthSavingsRatePct,
-		PortfolioValueCents:     portfolioValueCents,
-		PortfolioPCLCents:       portfolioPCLCents,
-		PortfolioHoldings:       portfolioHoldings,
+		PortfolioValueCents:          portfolioValueCents,
+		PortfolioPCLCents:            portfolioPCLCents,
+		PortfolioHoldings:            portfolioHoldings,
+		PortfolioPricesAvailable:     portfolioPricesAvailable,
 	})
 }
 
diff --git a/apps/finance/services/api/main/models.go b/apps/finance/services/api/main/models.go
index 49a7357..d7bd27d 100644
--- a/apps/finance/services/api/main/models.go
+++ b/apps/finance/services/api/main/models.go
@@ -146,9 +146,10 @@ type DashboardData struct {
 	SavingsRatePct     int    // savings / income * 100 this month
 	LastMonthSavingsRatePct int
 
-	PortfolioValueCents int64
-	PortfolioPCLCents   int64
-	PortfolioHoldings   []Holding
+	PortfolioValueCents      int64
+	PortfolioPCLCents        int64
+	PortfolioHoldings        []Holding
+	PortfolioPricesAvailable bool
 }
 
 type PeriodSummary struct {
diff --git a/apps/finance/services/api/main/templates/dashboard.html b/apps/finance/services/api/main/templates/dashboard.html
index bb2c43f..02b62a7 100644
--- a/apps/finance/services/api/main/templates/dashboard.html
+++ b/apps/finance/services/api/main/templates/dashboard.html
@@ -57,12 +57,16 @@
 
   <div class="card value-card animate-on-scroll">
     <h2>Portfolio today</h2>
-    {{if $d.PortfolioValueCents}}
+    {{if $d.PortfolioHoldings}}
     <div class="value animate-counter" data-target="{{$d.PortfolioValueCents}}" data-prefix="€" style="color:var(--text);">€0.00</div>
+    {{if $d.PortfolioPricesAvailable}}
     <p style="font-size:12px; margin-top:6px; {{if ge $d.PortfolioPCLCents 0}}color:var(--green){{else}}color:var(--red){{end}};">
       {{if ge $d.PortfolioPCLCents 0}}+{{else}}−{{end}}€{{cents (centsAbs $d.PortfolioPCLCents)}} total P&L
     </p>
     {{else}}
+    <p style="font-size:12px; color:var(--text3); margin-top:6px;">cost basis · prices unavailable</p>
+    {{end}}
+    {{else}}
     <div class="value" style="color:var(--text3); font-size:18px;">No trades yet</div>
     <p style="font-size:12px; color:var(--text3); margin-top:6px;"><a href="/import" style="color:var(--accent);">Import trades →</a></p>
     {{end}}
@@ -120,19 +124,24 @@
       <div style="display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:space-between; padding:9px 0; border-bottom:1px solid var(--border);">
         <div>
           <div style="font-size:13px; font-weight:600; color:var(--text);">{{.Name}}</div>
-          <div style="font-size:11px; color:var(--text3);">{{.ISIN}} · {{printf "%.2f" .SharesOwned}} shares</div>
+          <div style="font-size:11px; color:var(--text3);">{{printf "%.4f" .SharesOwned}} shares</div>
         </div>
         <div style="text-align:right;">
+          {{if $d.PortfolioPricesAvailable}}
           <div style="font-size:13px; font-weight:500; color:var(--text);">€{{cents .CurrentValueCents}}</div>
           <div style="font-size:12px; {{if ge .UnrealizedPCLCents 0}}color:var(--green){{else}}color:var(--red){{end}};">
             {{pctSign .UnrealizedPCLPct}}{{printf "%.1f" .UnrealizedPCLPct}}%
           </div>
+          {{else}}
+          <div style="font-size:13px; font-weight:500; color:var(--text);">€{{cents .TotalCostCents}}</div>
+          <div style="font-size:11px; color:var(--text3);">cost basis</div>
+          {{end}}
         </div>
       </div>
       {{end}}
       <div style="display:flex; justify-content:space-between; align-items:center; padding:12px 0 0 0;">
-        <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:500; color:var(--text);">Total</span>
-        <span class="animate-counter" style="font-size:15px; font-weight:600; {{if ge $d.PortfolioPCLCents 0}}color:var(--green){{else}}color:var(--red){{end}};"
+        <span style="font-size:13px; font-weight:500; color:var(--text);">Total{{if not $d.PortfolioPricesAvailable}} invested{{end}}</span>
+        <span class="animate-counter" style="font-size:15px; font-weight:600; color:var(--text);"
               data-target="{{$d.PortfolioValueCents}}" data-prefix="€">€0.00</span>
       </div>
     </div>