Analyst Upgrades

• RightNow (RNOW) to overweight from neutral at Piper Jaffray.
• Vivo Participacoes (VIV) to overweight from equal weight at Barclays.
• Genesis Energy (GEL) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.

Analyst Downgrades

• First Community (FCBC) and WesBanco (WSBC) to hold from buy at Stifel Nicolaus.
• Dresser Rand (DRC) to neutral from buy at Global Hunter.

"The Manning & Napier World Opportunities fund-rated five stars by Morningstar and ranked in the top one percentile for the past 10-year stretch-is a large-cap foreign blend fund that invests mainly in developed countries, particularly in Western Europe; thus its increasingly hefty stake in the relatively small Chinese technology company Mindray Medical International (MR), one of just two Chinese stocks it owns, is striking," suggests Stephen Leeb.

The editor of The Complete Investor explains, "The fund began accumulating Mindray shares in 2009's second quarter; as of November it owned 2.5 million shares, representing a 1.6 % weighting.

This post is part of a 12-article feature on the best bets for investing in China. To see all the other recommendations in this special report, click here.

"Mindray Medical International (NYSE: MR), based in Shenzhen, China and run by entrepreneurs, is a great defensive growth play," says Ian Wyatt in Top Stock Insights.Here's his review.

"This maker of medical devices boasts a strong brand and sales network with heavy investments in R&D and a smorgasbord of products.

This post is part of a special report, Global advisors look to China.

"Bull markets are born in the pits of despair; from current low stock prices and low PE valuations, the gains over the coming 5 to 10 years could be truly spectacular," says Tom Bishop.

In his BI Research, the small cap growth specialist looks at two stocks that are based in China and set to benefit from China's stimulus program: energy efficiency play, SmartHeat (NASDAQ: HEAT) and medical diagnostics firm, Mindray Medical (NYSE: MR).

Here are some highlights from this past week's earnings coverage from BloggingStocks:

• Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) Q2 profits declined on a glut of flash memory chips.
• Bally Technologies Inc. (NYSE: BYI) beat Q3 expectations and offered full-year guidance.
• Barclay's (NYSE: BCS) reported a big Q1 loss on credit-related write-downs.
• Constant Contact Inc. (NASDAQ: CTCT) saw big increases in Q1 revenues and in its customer base.
• Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) Q2 profits rose on international demand, but results just missed estimates.
• Fluor Corp.'s (NYSE: FLR) strong Q1 results are a signal for the energy sector, says Jim Cramer.
• Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) Q1 loss widened on the housing slump, but not as much as forecast.
• IndyMac Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: IMB) narrowed its loss but predicted it wouldn't see a profit in 2008.
• LDK Solar Co. Ltd. (NYSE: LDK) Q1 earnings topped forecasts and it raised its outlook.
• MBIA Inc. (NYSE: MBI) reported a larger-than-expected Q1 loss due to write-downs.
• Mindray Medical International Ltd. (NYSE: MR) beat Q1 expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) Q2 earnings were in line with analysts' expectations.
• ON Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: ONNN) beat Q1 expectations and raised its Q2 revenue forecast.
• RealNetworks Inc. (NASDAQ: RNWK) beat Q1 estimates and announced share buybacks and a spin off.
• Salary.com Inc. (NASDAQ: SLRY) missed Q1 forecasts, leading to analysts' downgrades.
• Sykes Enterprises Inc. (NASDAQ: SYKE) beat Q1 estimates and raised its Q2 and full-year forecast.
• Syniverse Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SVR) beat Q1 expectations on strength in "messaging and mobil data."
• Toll Brothers Inc. (NYSE: TOL) warned of lower Q2 profits and more "challenging times" ahead.
• Website Pros Inc. (NASDAQ: WSPI) reported flat earnings despite soaring revenues and operating income.