ASX sends all staff home after coronavirus case confirmed

Stock exchange says market will continue to operate as normal after a case was confirmed at Sydney HQ.

The ASX said markets will continue to operate as normal. Picture: AAP

Stock market operator ASX has asked all employees to work from home after one of its Sydney staff members tested positive to COVID-19.

The stock exchange on Sunday night said market operations will continue as normal.

Some 20 ASX employees were in close contact with the staffer at the exchange’s Bridge Street headquarters in Sydney. The ASX staffers are also self-isolating and working from home for a fortnight.

ASX said the staffer had no recent close contact with third parties, including ASX customers or partners.

“This latest development will not disrupt ASX’s normal operations,” ASX said in a statement.

“The health and safety of ASX employees is our top priority. We are taking a range of actions to manage the impact of COVID-19 on our people and on the markets we operate”.

“The employee has mild symptoms, is in good spirits and is not required to be hospitalised,” the exchange said.

It said a deep clean was conducted over the weekend of the exchange’s Bridge Street premises.

The development follows a roller coaster ride on global markets in recent weeks, with the ASX having its record day in terms of market turnover on Friday with shares posting their single biggest one day gain.

ASX said further precautionary measure to minimise the risk of the virus spreading, ASX has enacted the next phase of its business continuity plan.

“We’ve asked our employees across our various sites – Bridge Street, the Australian Liquidity Centre, secondary data centre, and interstate and overseas offices – to work remotely until further notice,” it said.

“The only exceptions are a core group of employees, identified as part of our business continuity plan, who will remain on ASX sites to manage ongoing market functions, mainly in technology, operations and surveillance areas,” it added.

“Our employees have the capacity to work remotely, which is a normal and regular part of ASX’s business continuity plans and testing activity”.

The exchange said it has operated its technology and operations from multiple sites since 2013 to ensure uninterrupted service and optimal resiliency in the event of a crisis.