Stock exchange shuts down ahead of Sandy

The New York Stock Exchange announced it will close its trading floor and make only electronic transactions on Monday, due to the imminent arrival of Hurricane Sandy.

NYSE Euronext has decided to "suspend physical trading floor operations" and will "trade all NYSE-listed securities on NYSE Arca, the company's fully electronic exchange", a statement said on Sunday.

The world's largest stock exchange said it would make an announcement at a later time as to how long Wall Street will remain shuttered. "The reopening of physical trading floor operations is subject to city and state determinations and local conditions; updates will be forthcoming," the NYSE said in its statement.

Meanwhile, Sandy may shut down much of the federal government and halt public transport in Washington on Monday but it will be business as usual at the US Supreme Court, where justices - appointed for life - pride themselves in all manner of staying power.

The country's highest court is keeping to its oral-argument schedule and intends to hear cases through Wednesday, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said late on Sunday. "It was the decision of the chief justice in consultation with court officials," Arberg said.