By Ros Krasny
BOSTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Blinding snow? Deadly ice storm? Frigid temperatures? Winter-weary traders and investment advisers were mostly taking them in stride on Tuesday as a monster blizzard swept across much of the United States.
The storm will bear down on the East Coast on Wednesday after slamming the middle of the country. But the business of investing goes on -- at home, at the office, or wherever.
"We're at the point now where most people can work very effectively from home, so if they can't get out of the house and to the train, or whatever method they get to work, we can operate fine," said Josh Stiles, bond strategist at research firm IDEAglobal in New York.
Stiles commutes from New Jersey, starting his day by negotiating an uphill driveway that becomes hazardous when icy. Walking to the train station would take too long, and trains are often delayed as well when bad weather strikes.
"We can submit all our research through the Internet and then we e-mail all the content that we have created to our publisher, and then he can even assemble it from home," said Stiles.
It was the calm before the worst of the storm on Tuesday at RDM Financial in Westport, Connecticut, an investment advisory firm for wealthy individuals.
"We have a couple of people working from home who live long distances from the office. Other than that, our office is pretty staffed," said Michael Sheldon, RDM's chief market strategist.
"Companies that really will be impacted are those in rural areas where employees have to drive a significant distance. Companies in the city probably won't be impacted very much."
Chicago, home to the largest U.S. futures and options exchanges, is enduring a blizzard described by forecasters as potentially life-threatening.
So far, the major concession by exchanges in the so-called "City That Works" is to allow staff and traders to wear blue jeans on the trading floors on Wednesday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange <CME.O> and the Chicago Board Options Exchange <CBOE.O>.
Many traders and essential staff were planning to stay downtown on Tuesday night; the coat room at the CME was littered with suitcases and overnight bags.
Depending on their connectivity and role, some staff may be working from home with their manager's authorization.
Downstate, at Cozad Asset Management in Champaign, in central Illinois, portfolio manager Bryant Evans said the firm was "a little concerned" about what forecasters have termed an "extremely dangerous" storm.
Still, "our full trading department is here," Evans said. "Someone will make sure we're here to cover trades the next couple of days." For the staff more focused on talking to clients, being in the office is less relevant, said Evans. "You can be almost as effective from home."
CASUAL DAY
Boston-based Eaton Vance Investment Managers <EV.N> will not be defeated by the rough weather, said spokeswoman Robyn Tice, adding, "our offices are open when the New York Stock Exchange is open."
Eaton Vance has urged employees to use public transportation whenever possible during the series of big snowstorms Boston has endured this winter.
It also relaxed its usual professional attire dress code on the severe weather days, and during one recent storm offered free breakfast and lunch to workers.
For some employees, though, depending on their role and responsibilities, telecommuting makes sense, Tice added. (Additional reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch, Chris Reese and Doris Frankel)
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