It seems unlikely that such a small tail could wag such a large dog, especially given that investors almost exclusively trade futures contracts.

ECONOMIST: Commodity speculators do more good than harm

Such contracts, with no big need for development spending, could be useful cash-cows.

ECONOMIST: The Pentagon

This is a potentially huge problem, because it could mean that Novartis may face exclusion - a term that means the drugmaker could be excluded from having contracts with federal healthcare programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid.

FORBES: Did Novartis Violate Its Corporate Integrity Agreement?

In such a reorganization, a state could propose to terminate some, all or none of its government employee union contracts and establish new compensation rates, work rules, etc.

FORBES: Is State Bankruptcy The Next Wave in Public Employee Union Busting?