diff --git a/apps/paper_trader/engine.py b/apps/paper_trader/engine.py
index 633e0ca..d4a666c 100644
--- a/apps/paper_trader/engine.py
+++ b/apps/paper_trader/engine.py
@@ -295,23 +295,38 @@ class PaperTradingEngine:
             )
 
         if engines:
+            # Residual reserve: engines that set residual_reserve_selected=True
+            # prevent later engines from picking the same event_id/symbol.
+            # Matches BacktestRunner._select_candidates_for_date().
+            reserved_event_ids: set[str] = {
+                ss.event_id for ss in strategy_states_after_exits.values()
+            }
+            reserved_symbols: set[str] = {
+                p.symbol for p in alpaca_positions_after_exits
+                if p.symbol in strategy_states_after_exits
+            }
             for engine_cfg in engines:
+                prelimit = self._config.signal.max_candidates_per_day
+                if self._attention_service.engine_requires_attention(engine_cfg):
+                    prelimit = max(prelimit * 5, prelimit)
                 engine_candidates = select_candidates(
                     raw_rows=candidate_rows,
                     universe_config=self._config.universe,
                     signal_config=self._config.signal,
                     event_type_profiles=self._config.event_type_profiles or {},
                     strategy_engine=engine_cfg,
-                    excluded_event_ids={
-                        ss.event_id
-                        for ss in strategy_states_after_exits.values()
-                    },
-                    excluded_symbols={p.symbol for p in alpaca_positions_after_exits if p.symbol in strategy_states_after_exits},
+                    truncate_to=prelimit,
+                    excluded_event_ids=reserved_event_ids,
+                    excluded_symbols=reserved_symbols,
                 )
                 # Attention filtering (matches BacktestRunner)
                 engine_candidates = self._attention_service.apply_filters(
                     engine_candidates, engine_cfg, self._config.signal,
                 )
+                # Residual reserve for next engine
+                if engine_cfg.residual_reserve_selected and engine_candidates:
+                    reserved_event_ids.update(c.event_id for c in engine_candidates)
+                    reserved_symbols.update(c.symbol.upper() for c in engine_candidates)
 
                 engine_risk_used = engine_daily_risk_used.get(engine_cfg.engine_id, 0.0)
                 for candidate in engine_candidates:
@@ -945,21 +960,30 @@ class PaperTradingEngine:
             )
 
         engine_list = engines if engines else [None]
+        reserved_event_ids: set[str] = {ss.event_id for ss in strategy_states.values()}
+        reserved_symbols: set[str] = {p.symbol for p in alpaca_positions if p.symbol in strategy_states}
         for engine_cfg in engine_list:
             if engine_cfg is not None:
+                prelimit = self._config.signal.max_candidates_per_day
+                if self._attention_service.engine_requires_attention(engine_cfg):
+                    prelimit = max(prelimit * 5, prelimit)
                 engine_candidates = select_candidates(
                     raw_rows=candidate_rows,
                     universe_config=self._config.universe,
                     signal_config=self._config.signal,
                     event_type_profiles=self._config.event_type_profiles or {},
                     strategy_engine=engine_cfg,
-                    excluded_event_ids={ss.event_id for ss in strategy_states.values()},
-                    excluded_symbols={p.symbol for p in alpaca_positions if p.symbol in strategy_states},
+                    truncate_to=prelimit,
+                    excluded_event_ids=reserved_event_ids,
+                    excluded_symbols=reserved_symbols,
                 )
                 # Attention filtering (matches BacktestRunner)
                 engine_candidates = self._attention_service.apply_filters(
                     engine_candidates, engine_cfg, self._config.signal,
                 )
+                if engine_cfg.residual_reserve_selected and engine_candidates:
+                    reserved_event_ids.update(c.event_id for c in engine_candidates)
+                    reserved_symbols.update(c.symbol.upper() for c in engine_candidates)
                 engine_risk_used = engine_daily_risk_used.get(engine_cfg.engine_id, 0.0)
             else:
                 engine_candidates = select_candidates(
@@ -967,8 +991,8 @@ class PaperTradingEngine:
                     universe_config=self._config.universe,
                     signal_config=self._config.signal,
                     event_type_profiles=self._config.event_type_profiles or {},
-                    excluded_event_ids={ss.event_id for ss in strategy_states.values()},
-                    excluded_symbols={p.symbol for p in alpaca_positions if p.symbol in strategy_states},
+                    excluded_event_ids=reserved_event_ids,
+                    excluded_symbols=reserved_symbols,
                 )
                 engine_risk_used = 0.0
 
@@ -1296,6 +1320,24 @@ class PaperTradingEngine:
                     if len(closes) >= sma_period:
                         macro[f"{key_prefix}_sma_{sma_period}"] = sum(closes[-sma_period:]) / sma_period
 
+            # Fetch FRED macro data (VIX, HY spread) for regime sizing
+            # Matches SnapshotStore._fetch_macro() which loads MacroObservation from DB
+            try:
+                from libs.oracle_client import FredService, OracleClient as _OC
+                async with _OC(base_url=self._detector._oracle_url) as fred_client:
+                    fred_svc = FredService(fred_client)
+                    for series_id in ("VIXCLS", "BAMLH0A0HYM2"):
+                        try:
+                            resp = await fred_svc.get_observations(series_id, start=start.isoformat(), end=date.isoformat())
+                            if resp.observations:
+                                latest = [o for o in resp.observations if o.value is not None]
+                                if latest:
+                                    macro[series_id] = latest[-1].value
+                        except Exception:
+                            pass
+            except Exception:
+                pass
+
             return macro
 
         except Exception as exc: