Times Square,Nasdaq reopened after scare

No explosives were found in the van,which police examined with robots and remote cameras.

The typically busy Times Square intersection,Nasdaq building and two other buildings were cleared of people during the investigation which lasted about two hours.

Times Square was already crowded with tourists and a heavy police presence ahead of the traditional New Year8217;s Eve festivities and the dropping of a large lit ball at midnight on December 31.

Trade on the Nasdaq stock market went uninterrupted and the impact was minimal.

8220;There was a quick small sell-off in equities which would be more attributable to people closing some positions in fear of an electronic breakdown rather than initiating speculative short positions,8221; said Joe Kinahan,chief derivatives strategist at TD Ameritrade.

The incident took place less than a week after a botched attempt on Christmas Day to blow up a US-bound airliner. The airline incident has prompted heightened air travel security.