Most of the 300 staff at Cantor Fitzgerald, the leading US interdealer broker, who were not involved in the terrorist attack are expected to report for work today at emergency offices in New Jersey, despite the horrific loss of 700 colleagues in the tragedy.

David Buick, a Cantor spokesman, said: 'It is astonishing, but most of our people want to go straight back to work. Very few are using the counselling services that we have set up. They want to be with each other and those that went through what happened last week. It's the best therapy. I think there will be a backlash and it will be in a few weeks when people need real help.'