NYSE to shift fully to e-trading from March 23 on coronavirus worries

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(C) Reuters. A screen displays trading information over the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York

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(Reuters) – The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) will temporarily close its trading floors and move fully to electronic trading from Monday, its owner Intercontinental Exchange Inc (N:ICE) said after an employee and a trader were tested positive for the coronavirus.

They were last in the exchange building on March 13, the company said on Wednesday.

The facilities to be closed include the equities and American options trading floors in New York and Arca options trading floor in San Francisco.

Trading and regulatory oversight of all NYSE-listed securities will continue without interruption, the company said.

“Our markets are fully capable of operating in an all-electronic fashion…and we will proceed in that manner until we can re-open our trading floors to our members,” NYSE President Stacey Cunningham said in a statement.

Separately, in a letter to employees, Intercontinental Chief Operating Officer Michael Blaugrund asked staff feeling “even mildly ill” to stay at home.

The outbreak, which has killed over 100 people in the United States, has created panic and forced several businesses and local governments to take actions to limit the spread of the virus.