Chill descends on the City

OFFICES in London were almost deserted this morning as traders predicted a very slow day in the City. While some workers battled their way through, many were forced to abandon their journeys and go home.

David Buik of broker BGC Partners said: "In our office there are normally around 300 people by now. At the moment there are only 30."

Another banker said: "I'm normally the last one in, today I was pretty much the first."

Analysts warned that the snow is more bad news for the capital's beleaguered financial sector.

Mr Buik said: "The City will be deathly quiet today: it is not so much the dealers, who will make it in come hell or high water, but all the other staff who will be affected. I'm expecting trading volumes to be down by around 70per cent."