The New York Stock Exchange, whose share of trading listed companies is under attack from Nasdaq, has lost one of its top brokers to the rival exchange. The exit comes as NYSE admitted it will have to pay severance fees worth $28m (€21.9m) to departing employees.

Robert McCooey, the founder and former president and chief executive of NYSE floor broker The Griswold Company, has been appointed senior vice-president in charge of Nasdaq's capital markets group.