Release: #4567-01
For Release: September 12, 2001

Closing of the Securities and Futures Markets on Wednesday

The President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, consisting of the United States Treasury, the Federal Reserve Board, the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission strongly supports and endorses the decision of the Nation’s futures and securities markets to remain closed today, in light of yesterday’s tragic events.

The decision to close reflects respect for the terrible loss of life. We offer our sympathy to the families of the victims of this tragedy.

We commend the securities and futures markets for their ability to work together to ensure that our financial markets operate cooperatively. We have every confidence that trading will resume as soon as it is both appropriate and practical.