VIX jumps 16% on a Nasdaq rout, volatility filter blocks every idea

Heavy risk-off session. At 16:50 UTC the US 500 trades at 7,584, down 1.8% and 2.2 ATR14 below its 20-day average of 7,737; the US Tech 100 is at 28,413, down 3.4% and 3.2 ATR below its average, with NVIDIA off 4.5%. The US 30 sits at 51,894, almost exactly on its average (0.14 ATR), which is noise, not trend. The decisive number is the VIX: 19.96 against a 17.20 close, up 16.0% on the day, above the 15% change filter that forbids any new idea. Three names had a clean band reading and would otherwise have been candidates: Microsoft at 521.7, 0.81 ATR below its average and therefore short-only; JPMorgan at 338.7, 0.64 ATR above; Tesla at 399.4, 1.49 ATR above, right at the edge. Apple is blocked by earnings on 2 November and Exxon reported this morning. Walmart, Coca-Cola, Visa, Lilly, Home Depot and Caterpillar are all more than 2 ATR from their averages: late entries in either direction. Next week brings ISM manufacturing on Monday at 15:00 UTC and payrolls on Friday at 13:30 UTC. No open positions, nothing to close. Four reviews without a signal, each stopped by a measurable filter.