diff --git a/app/lib/alpacaClient.ts b/app/lib/alpacaClient.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cbfcb0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/lib/alpacaClient.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+import Alpaca from "@alpacahq/alpaca-trade-api";
+
+function makeAlpaca(mode: 'paper' | 'live' = 'paper') {
+  const isLive = mode === 'live';
+  const keyId = isLive ? (process.env.ALPACA_API_KEY_LIVE || process.env.ALPACA_API_KEY) : process.env.ALPACA_API_KEY;
+  const secretKey = isLive ? (process.env.ALPACA_SECRET_KEY_LIVE || process.env.ALPACA_SECRET_KEY) : process.env.ALPACA_SECRET_KEY;
+  const baseUrl = isLive ? (process.env.ALPACA_LIVE_BASE_URL || "https://api.alpaca.markets") : (process.env.ALPACA_BASE_URL || "https://paper-api.alpaca.markets");
+  const dataBaseUrl = isLive ? (process.env.ALPACA_LIVE_DATA_URL || "https://data.alpaca.markets") : (process.env.ALPACA_DATA_URL || "https://data.alpaca.markets");
+  return new Alpaca({
+    keyId,
+    secretKey,
+    baseUrl,
+    dataBaseUrl,
+    retryOnError: false,
+  });
+}
+
+export async function fetchAccount(mode: 'paper' | 'live' = 'paper') {
+  try {
+    const client = makeAlpaca(mode);
+    const account = await client.getAccount();
+    return {
+      cash: parseFloat(account.cash),
+      buying_power: parseFloat(account.buying_power),
+      portfolio_value: parseFloat(account.portfolio_value),
+    };
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("alpacaClient: fetchAccount failed:", err);
+    throw new Error(err?.message || String(err));
+  }
+}
+
+export async function fetchRecentCloses(ticker: string, days = 30, mode: 'paper' | 'live' = 'paper') {
+  try {
+    const client = makeAlpaca(mode);
+    const startDate = new Date();
+    startDate.setDate(startDate.getDate() - days);
+    const barsIter = await client.getBarsV2(ticker, { timeframe: "1D", start: startDate.toISOString().split("T")[0], limit: 1000 });
+    const barsArray: any[] = [];
+    for await (const b of barsIter) barsArray.push(b);
+    const closes = barsArray.map((bar: any) => (typeof bar.ClosePrice === 'number' ? bar.ClosePrice : (typeof bar.c === 'number' ? bar.c : 0))).filter((c: number) => c > 0);
+    if (closes.length) return closes;
+
+    // fallback to latest trade
+    try {
+      const trade: any = await client.getLatestTrade(ticker);
+      const price = trade?.Price || trade?.price || 0;
+      if (price) return [price];
+    } catch (tErr) {
+      console.warn("alpacaClient: getLatestTrade fallback failed:", tErr);
+    }
+
+    throw new Error("No recent price data available from Alpaca");
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error("alpacaClient: fetchRecentCloses failed:", err);
+    throw new Error(err?.message || String(err));
+  }
+}
+
+export async function fetchLatestBar(ticker: string, timeframe = '1Min', mode: 'paper' | 'live' = 'paper') {
+  try {
+    const client = makeAlpaca(mode);
+    const barsIter = await client.getBarsV2(ticker, { timeframe, limit: 1 });
+    const barsArr: any[] = [];
+    for await (const b of barsIter) barsArr.push(b);
+    const last = barsArr[barsArr.length - 1];
+    return last || null;
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error('alpacaClient: fetchLatestBar failed:', err);
+    throw new Error(err?.message || String(err));
+  }
+}
+
+export async function fetchBars(ticker: string, timeframe = '1D', options: any = {}, mode: 'paper' | 'live' = 'paper') {
+  try {
+    const client = makeAlpaca(mode);
+    const barsIter = await client.getBarsV2(ticker, { timeframe, ...options });
+    const barsArr: any[] = [];
+    for await (const b of barsIter) barsArr.push(b);
+    return barsArr;
+  } catch (err: any) {
+    console.error('alpacaClient: fetchBars failed:', err);
+    throw new Error(err?.message || String(err));
+  }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/routes/api/alpaca/quote.ts b/app/routes/api/alpaca/quote.ts
index 2759382..3c2fa31 100644
--- a/app/routes/api/alpaca/quote.ts
+++ b/app/routes/api/alpaca/quote.ts
@@ -1,31 +1,24 @@
-import Alpaca from "@alpacahq/alpaca-trade-api";
-
-const alpaca = new Alpaca({
-  keyId: process.env.ALPACA_API_KEY!,
-  secretKey: process.env.ALPACA_SECRET_KEY!,
-  baseUrl: process.env.ALPACA_BASE_URL || "https://paper-api.alpaca.markets",
-  dataBaseUrl: process.env.ALPACA_DATA_URL || "https://data.alpaca.markets",
-  retryOnError: false,
-});
+import { fetchBars, fetchLatestBar } from "../../../lib/alpacaClient";
 
 export async function loader({ request, params }: { request: Request; params: { ticker: string } }) {
   const ticker = params.ticker?.toUpperCase();
   const url = new URL(request.url);
   const timeframe = url.searchParams.get("timeframe") || "1D";
   const range = url.searchParams.get("range") || "1M"; // 1D, 1W, 1M, 3M, 1Y, 3Y, ALL
+  const mode = url.searchParams.get('mode') === 'live' ? 'live' : 'paper';
   
   if (!ticker) {
     return Response.json({ error: "Ticker is required" }, { status: 400 });
   }
 
   try {
-    // Get latest trade for current price
+    // Get latest bar for current price (uses paper by default unless mode=live)
     let price = 0;
     try {
-      const trade = await alpaca.getLatestTrade(ticker);
-      price = (trade as { Price?: number }).Price || 0;
+      const last = await fetchLatestBar(ticker, timeframe, mode as any);
+      price = last ? (last.ClosePrice ?? last.c ?? 0) : 0;
     } catch (tradeErr) {
-      console.error(`API quote/${ticker}: getLatestTrade failed`, tradeErr);
+      console.error(`API quote/${ticker}: fetchLatestBar failed`, tradeErr);
     }
     
     // Calculate start date based on range
@@ -50,25 +43,14 @@ export async function loader({ request, params }: { request: Request; params: {
       startDate.setDate(startDate.getDate() - 30); // Default 30 days for intraday
     }
     
-    const barsOptions: any = { timeframe, limit: 1000 }; // High limit for time range
+    const barsOptions: any = { limit: 1000 }; // High limit for time range
     if (!isIntraday && range !== "ALL") {
       barsOptions.start = startDate.toISOString().split('T')[0];
     } else if (!isIntraday) {
       barsOptions.start = startDate.toISOString().split('T')[0];
     }
     
-    const bars = await alpaca.getBarsV2(ticker, barsOptions);
-    
-    // Convert async generator to array
-    // Alpaca v2 API returns AlpacaBar with capitalized property names
-    const barsArray = [];
-    try {
-      for await (const bar of bars) {
-        barsArray.push(bar);
-      }
-    } catch (genErr) {
-      console.error(`API quote/${ticker}: error iterating bars`, genErr);
-    }
+    const barsArray = await fetchBars(ticker, timeframe, barsOptions, mode as any);
 
     // Transform to chart format
     const transformedBars = barsArray.map((bar: any) => {