US President Barack Obama warned on Monday that Hurricane Sandy was a powerful storm that could cause deaths, and said his concern for now was the safety of Americans and not next week's election.
"The most important message to the public I have right now, is 'please listen to what your state and local officials are saying.' When they tell you to evacuate you need to evacuate," Obama said in a televised White House appearance.
The massive storm bashing the US East Coast froze commerce, shut down stock exchanges for the first time since the 9/11 attacks and idled millions of workers Monday, laying siege to an economy still trying to get out of first gear.
With the coast from North Carolina to Massachusetts threatened by furious winds and a potentially devastating storm surge, businesses closed, refiners shut down operations and insurers girded for a leap in damage claims.
The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq market closed completely on Monday, and the NYSE said it would not reopen until Wednesday, "conditions permitting."
It was the first full trading shutdown since the 9/11 attacks closed US equity markets for four days in 2001, and the first full NYSE shutdown due to weather since September 1985, when it closed for a day for Hurricane Gloria.
{{/usCountry}}It was the first full trading shutdown since the 9/11 attacks closed US equity markets for four days in 2001, and the first full NYSE shutdown due to weather since September 1985, when it closed for a day for Hurricane Gloria.
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