Treasury Wants 'Biz as Usual' Despite Alert

Although the federal government is on high alert for possible terrorist attacks on key financial institutions, Treasury officials want the markets to continue to operate as usual."I applaud the financial services industry for remaining open for business," Treasury Secretary John Snow said Monday morning. The Treasury secretary said he is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security and others to monitor the situation. "Federal regulators and law enforcement officials will continue to work closely with financial market participants to quickly respond to any potential market disruptions," Secretary Snow said. At Freddie Mac, "it is business as usual," a spokesman said.