Ms. Schapiro, joined by Federal Reserve and Treasury Department officials, repeatedly has warned that additional reforms are needed, despite hesitation from some SEC commissioners and stiff resistance from the money-fund industry.
As the stock continues to stagnate beneath trendline resistance, these out-of-the-money calls could provide an additional layer of options-related pressure.
Shortening treatment time from the current minimum of six to two months would keep an additional one million people on TB treatment each year, reducing deaths and slowing the development of drug resistance.
The doubts swirling over the economic recovery have also put additional pressure on crude oil prices, as evidenced by the recent failure to overcome chart and trend line resistance last week.