First Solar has joined forces with 33 other clean power companies including rivals like SunPower and Nanosolar to appeal against the Republican proposal to axe the funding for the Department of Energy's loan-guarantee program. The proposal was included in a budget bill passed in early February and was a shock to many in the renewables community as it could potentially derail the high growth in solar and wind energy adoption.

First Solar (FSLR) is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of solar modules with an advanced thin film semiconductor technology. The firm also designs, constructs and sells photovoltaic solar power systems to customers around the world. First Solar competes with other solar industry players like SunPower (SPWRA), Suntech Power (STP) and Yingli Green Energy Holding (YGE).

We have a price estimate of $155, which is around 6% ahead of the price estimate.

Analyst Upgrades

• Wells Fargo (WFC) to conviction buy from neutral at Goldman.
• Adobe (ADBE) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Vail Resorts (MTN) and Goldcorp (GG) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• OmniVision (OVTI) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Penn Virginia (PVA) to hold from sell at Canaccord.
• Hub Group (HUBG) to outperform from market perform at Morgan Keegan.

First Solar (FSLR)is engaged in the manufacturing and sale of solar modules with an advanced thin film semiconductor technology. The firm also designs, constructs and sells photovoltaic solar power systems to customers around the world. First Solar competes with other solar industry players like SunPower(SPWRA), Suntech Power(STP) and Yingli Green Energy Holding Com.

Analyst Upgrades

• Athenahealth (ATHN), Ensco (ESV), Pride International (PDE) and Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• CIRCOR (CIR) to buy from hold at BB&T.
• Urban Outfitters (URBN) to hold from sell at Citigroup.
• Shaw Group (SHAW) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• MGM Resorts (MGM) and Boyd Gaming (BYD) to buy from neutral, as well as Intrepid Potash (IPI) to neutral from underperform, at BofA/Merrill.
• Carlisle (CSL) to buy from neutral at SunTrust.

Analyst Upgrades

• First Solar (FSLR) to conviction buy from buy at Goldman.
• NYSE Euronext (NYX) to outperform from market Perform at Wells Fargo.
• GSI Commerce (GSIC) and Cabela's (CAB) to overweight from neutral, as well as NovaMed (NOVA) to neutral from underweight, at Piper Jaffray.

Analyst Downgrades

• St. Jude Medical (STJ) to market perform from outperform at Wells Fargo.
• OmniVision (OVTI) to neutral from outperform at RW Baird.
• J & J Snack Foods (JJSF) to neutral from buy at Janney Capital.

Moody's gave a warning to Spain and the Greeks rioted again. CPI showed tame inflation and industrial capacity was close to two-year highs. We also had at least four IPOs and the Senate passed the Bush tax-cut extension for two years. The markets looked set for a rally but the end of day trading again failed to materialize into a win for the bulls. Here were today's closing bell levels:

DJIA: 11,457.47, -19.07 (0.17%)
S&P 500: 1.235.23, -6.36 (0.51%)
NASDAQ: 2,617.22, -10.50 (0.40%)

Top Analyst Upgrades & Downgrades

Analyst Upgrades

• Deere (DE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• American Eagle (AEO) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• FedEx (FDX) and Shaw (SJR) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Superior Energy (SPN) and Rowan Cos. (RDC) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Tesoro (TSO) to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Mechel (MTL) to buy from neutral at Goldman.
• SunPower (SPWRA), LDK Solar (LDK) and First Solar (FSLR) to buy from hold at ThinkEquity.

Analyst Upgrades

• Goldman upgraded CSX (CSX) to neutral from sell.
• General Cable (BGC) was upgraded to buy from hold at KeyBanc.
• Morgan Stanley upgraded Chart Industries (GTLS) and Dresser Rand (DRC) to overweight from equal weight.
• Blackrock (BLK) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Macquarie.
• Credit Suisse upgraded Zions Bancorp (ZION) to neutral from underperform and GameStop (GME) to outperform from neutral.
• Honeywell (HON) was upgraded to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• Panera Bread (PNRA) was upgraded to buy from neutral at SunTrust.

Stocks opened lower this morning before getting a boost from the report that US GDP growth in the third quarter tallied an expected 2%. Then a report on consumer confidence sent the market sharply lower before it rebounded again to positive territory before heading slightly lower again.

On this final trading day of October -- and the 81st anniversary of the crash of 1929 -- stocks are poised to maintain their gains for the month. The DJIA is up about 3% in the month, while the S&P 500 is up 3.7%. The dollar weakened slightly today, down 0.1% against a basket of six other currencies. All eyes are now focused on next Tuesday's elections and Wednesday's meeting of the Fed's open market committee.

Analyst Upgrades

• JPMorgan upgraded Vivus (VVUS) to overweight from neutral.
• Citigroup upgraded Corn Products (CPO) to buy from hold.
• Maxim Integrated (MXIM) was upgraded to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Cardinal Health (CAH) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Citigroup upgraded Monster Worldwide (MWW) and EchoStar (SATS) to buy from hold, as well as Las Vegas Sands (LVS) to buy from sell.
• BMO Capital upgraded Potash (POT) and Barrick Gold (ABX) to outperform from market perform.