CME Group CEO Terry Duffy, during an exclusive interview, discusses the impact of the coronavirus.
Almost two weeks after the head of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange told FOX Business it was staying open despite the coronavirus fears, the continued growth of the outbreak has forced the exchange to alter those plans.
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NYSE PREPARING FOR CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK: GASPARINO
The parent company of “The Merc” announced Wednesday it will close its Chicago trading floor starting with the close of business on Friday, March 13, 2020. The move was made “as a precaution to reduce large gatherings that can contribute to the spread of coronavirus in line with the advice of medical professionals,” the CEM group said in a release.
The exchange, which trades futures and options, in agriculture, energy, foreign exchange, interest rates, metals and real estate, said no coronavirus cases have been reported on the trading floor or in the Chicago Board of Trade building. No date was given for when the CME could reopen and the exchange said any reopening of the trading floor will be evaluated as more medical guidance on the coronavirus becomes available.
It is unclear if other exchanges will follow suit. Inquiries by FOX Business to the New York Stock Exchange and the CBOE were not immediately returned.
Earlier on Wednesday, Chicago canceled is annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in a precautionary move.
