The coronavirus pandemic has upended US equity trading, with unprecedented market volatility and forced bourses like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to close their trading floors, raising questions about the need for such spaces.
The NYSE, owned by Intercontinental Exchange Inc, closed its stock and options trading floors in New York and San Francisco in March 23 after traders and an ICE employee tested positive for the virus. Rivals CME Group, Cboe Global Markets Inc and Nasdaq Inc also closed their options and futures pits in Chicago and Philadelphia.
Despite the move to all-electronic trading, none of the exchange operators experienced