The ups and downs and the panic monitoring of the European Union is getting tiresome. Now we know how European portfolio managers felt in late-2007 through early-2009 when the only news that mattered was U.S. banking woes. Consumer confidence was higher and regional business surveys showed an increase as well. That trumped lower housing prices today. Markets tried to come back again today but slid lower late in the day as few investors want the overnight risk.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow Jones 11,006.02 -46.47 (-0.42%)
S&P 500 1,180.54 -7.22 (-0.61%)
Nasdaq 2,498.23 -26.99 (-1.07%)

Top Analyst Calls
Top Biotechs of 2010

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Norfolk Southern (NSC) to overweight from neutral, citing the company's leverage to coal and position relative to peers. The firm has a $68 price target for shares.
• Benchmark upgraded Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) to hold from sell based on a more favorable earnings outlook and reduced dividend risk.
• UBS upgraded Costco (COST) to buy from neutral based on valuation. The firm raised its price target to $63 from $62.
• Visa (V) was upgraded to gonviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• KLA-Tencor (KLAC) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Texas Instruments (TXN) was upgraded to outperform from perform at Oppenheimer.

Analyst Upgrades

• Raymond James upgraded Research in Motion (RIMM) to outperform from market perform based on valuation. The firm has a $70 price target on the stock.
• Macquarie upgraded Halliburton (HAL) to outperform from neutral and has a $40 price target on the stock. The firm said recent pressure pumping activity is above their expectations and pricing has firmed.
• Canaccord upgraded Baldor Electric (BEZ) to buy from speculative buy, citing improving business trends and the upcoming mandatory transition to premium efficiency motors. The firm has a $47 price target on the stock.
• Wells Fargo upgraded Williams-Sonoma (WSM) to outperform from market perform.
• Medco Health (MHS) was upgraded to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• Repsol (REP) was upgraded to buy from neutral at BofA/Merrill.

Analyst upgrades:

• Merriman upgraded Sunpower (NASDAQ: SPWRA) two levels to Buy from Sell after transitioning coverage. The firm believes Sunpower is emerging from the current recession as the CleanTech leader and has a $38-$48 price range on shares.
• Citigroup upgraded Varian Medical (NYSE: VAR) to Buy from hold as it believes capex pressure and health care reform uncertainty is priced into shares, and demand will return as hospital budgets stabilize. Citi raised its target on shares to $45 from $36.
• FBR Capital upgraded Gap (NYSE: GPS) to Outperform from Market Perform following the Q2 results to reflect product improvement and ongoing inventory control. The firm raised its target on shares to $24 from $18.
• Schnitzer Steel (NASDAQ: SCHN) was upgraded to Neutral from Sell at UBS.
• UDR Inc. (NYSE: UDR) was upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform at Wells Fargo.
• The Buckle (NYSE: BKE) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Roth Capital.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The process control sector, R.H. Donnelley, Vonage, Coca-Cola Enterprises and Transocean were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Baird reduced estimates across the board in the process control sector due to lower expectations for North American industrial and residential construction. The firm downgraded Roper Industries (NYSE: ROP), Regal-Beloit Corp (NYSE: RBC) and Baldor Electric (NYSE: BEZ) to Neutral from Outperform and AO Smith Corporation (NYSE: AOS) to Underperform from Neutral.
• Goldman downgraded shares of R.H. Donnelley Corporation (NYSE: RHD) to Neutral from Buy after the company updated its 2007 guidance to reflect deteriorating trends in local advertising.
  
• Vonage Holdings Corp (NYSE: VG) was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Soleil due to liquidity concerns.
  
• Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE: CCE) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank on valuation and mixed near-term trends.
  
• Transocean Inc (NYSE: RIG) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Gabelli. Even though the deepwater market continues to be strong, the firm is concerned regarding the continuing weakness in the jackup market as well as the limited upside potential due to the company's ships being in use through 2009.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• XM Satellite Radio Holdings (NASDAQ: XMSR) and Sirius Satellite Radio Inc (NASDAQ: SIRI) were downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  
• Blue Nile Inc (NASDAQ: NILE) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Suntrust.
  
• Citigroup downgraded shares of CheckFree Corporation (NASDAQ: CKFR) to Hold from Buy.
  
• Morgan Stanley downgraded McAfee Inc (NYSE: MFE) to Underweight from Equal Weight.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: In addition to Genomic Health (GHDX) and Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), airliners Continental Airlines (CAL) and ExpressJet Holdings (XTJ) were some of today's most notable initiations:

• RBC Capital Markets started Genomic Health Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) with an Underperform rating, with a $17 target. The firm views shares as fairly valued and believes competitive noise and FDA concerns will weigh on shares.

• HSBC started Intercontinental Hotels (NYSE: IHG) with an Overweight rating, believing asset sales and stronger than expected room growth could prove near-term positive catalysts.

• Soliel started both Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) and ExpressJet Holdings Inc (NYSE: XJT) with Sell ratings.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• William Blair started Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALXN) with an Outperform rating. They believe Alexion's lead compound, Soliris, is the key driver of shareholder value, and they believe the company is well positioned to receive final FDA approval.

• Bear Stearns initiated Baldor Electric Company (NYSE: BEZ) with an Outperform rating.

• RBC initiated Hologic, Inc (NASDAQ: HOLX) with an Outperform rating.

• Citigroup started GMarket Inc (NASDAQ: GMKT) with a Sell rating and $18 target, citing valuation.

• Drew Industries, Inc (NYSE: DW) was initiated with a Buy rating and $35 target at Ferris Baker Watts.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Baldor Electric Co (BEZ) was today's most notable initiation:

• Shares of Baldor Electric Co (NYSE: BEZ) were initiated by Baird with an Outperform rating and $42 target. The firm believes that Baldor's already-premium market position is strengthened by their acquisition of Rockwell's Power Systems. The firm believes that as the company starts to realize integration synergies, management's initial earnings accretion forecast of $0.10 in 2007 is conservative, earnings surprises will be likely and the company should be able to sustain their current valuation.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Harris Interactive Inc (NASDAQ: HPOL) was initiated with a Buy rating and $7 target at Roth Capital. The firm believes Harris Interactive is positioned to take market share in market research as the company operates one of the largest online survey panels with more than 6 million members.

Analyst summaries provided by TheFlyOnTheWall.com (subscription required).