It felt hard enough to milk out a two-day rally when you looked over the numbers yesterday. Now we have a 3-day rally. Gnarly jobless claims were swept under the table despite the notion that we now have over 5.3 million adults on the continued jobless claims.

The retail sales data was enough of a boost, and the data on things not being as bad at the financials helped even further. Trading volume still feels light, but at least everyone's retirement accounts have gone up. After all, it still feels good to see broad-based rallies. Here are today's closing bell levels:

Dow 7,170.06 +239.66 (3.46%)
S&P 500 750.74 +29.38 (4.07%)
Nasdaq 1,426.10 +54.46 (3.97%)

Top Analyst Upgrades
Top Analyst Downgrades

If you've been watching earnings this past week, or if you read last week's Week in Preview, then this coming week may leave you feeling a bit like Bill Murray in Groundhog's Day. That is, again analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect earnings declines to be more frequent and deeper than earnings gains.

Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT), Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW), Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: APC), IAC Interactivecorp (NASDAQ: IACI), Moody's Corp. (NYSE: MCO), Elizabeth Arden Inc. (NASDAQ: RDEN), Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN), Diebold Inc. (NYSE: DBD), Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC), United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO), Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. (NYSE: RL), ITT Corp. (NYSE: ITT), and Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) are scheduled to report quarterly results this week, and they're all expected to report double-digit declines in earnings.

But again this week, let's take a look who Wall Street feels may have done well in the past quarter.

Is the Fed's program of slashing interest rates to near zero having any beneficial effects? If we look back at the past three months investors have been running away from any investment with the least bit of risk. This is why we've seen such a massive shift into US Treasuries.

One market hardest hit by the financial crisis was the Corporate Bond Market which tumbled 35% in 2008. Now, however, with interest rates so low, investors are venturing out a bit to find investments with higher yields. In December new Corporate deals included $10 billion dollars of FDIC backed bonds by General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN) is selling five and 10 year notes, Brown and Foreman (NYSE: BF.B) is offering $250 million dollars in five year notes, and Tyco International (NYSE: TYC) offered $500 million dollars of 10 year notes. The major "active book-running" players are Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), JP Morgan (NYSE: JPM) and Citigroup (NYSE: C)

What is an interesting dynamic to watch is that investors are always looking for better deals and higher returns. It seems they are tip toeing into the Corporate markets which indicates that there is some movement at unlocking this market for further activity.

Corporate bonds and notes offer higher yields than US Treasuries. Would you invest in this market?

Today was a strange day as Veteran's Day was observed by the bond market but not by the stock market. Stocks traded lower most of the day as the realization that even a Chinese stimulus package was not going to prevent a global recession. Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:
DJIA: 8,693.96 (-1.99%)
NASDAQ: 1,580.90 (-2.22%)
S&P 500: 898.94 (-2.21%)
Analyst Upgrades
Analyst Downgrades

Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) announced a joint venture in the Marcellus Shale and an international unconventional natural gas exploration alliance with StatoilHydro. Despite this supposedly being a win, shares were down 5% at $22.45 right before the close.

Focus Media Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ: FMCN), a Chinese advertising agency for online, outdoor, and print ads, was hit extremely hard after posting light earnings and guiding estimates lower ahead. Shares were trading down over 45% at $8.74 right before the close.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) announced the pricing of a full financing package to keep it within its debt covenants, but it did so at what appears to be a 40% discount on a fully diluted basis. Shares were trading down 35% at $5.22 right before the close.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) traded down after the high-end coffee retail destination posted light earnings and gave a warning for the base case for its fiscal year of Sept-2009. Shares were down 13% at $22.00 right before the close.

Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) posted earnings at $0.81 EPS, well above the $0.73 EPS estimates. Unfortunately, the company said the current environment was going to put pressure on earnings ahead, and that somehow managed to surprise the investor community. Shares were down 13% at $22.01 right before the close.

Former Tyco (NYSE: TYC) CEO Dennis Kozlowski and former CFO Mark Swartz asked New York's Supreme Court to throw out their convictions on the grounds of insufficient evidence -- Kozlowski had been convicted of grand larceny.

As despicable of a character as Kozlowski is, he doesn't belong in prison: Tyco was a corporate governance train wreck, and he was essentially jailed for being paid an obscene amount of money. Tyco was not a massive securities fraud and, in fact, has produced solid returns for its shareholders.

One of the flaws with the Tyco case -- and it extends into media coverage of corporate governance today -- is that it held an executive responsible for gross negligence on the part of the board of directors. By throwing Kozlowski in jail and writing him off as a crook, the real threat to shareholders was essentially let of the hook: complacent and compliant directors at public companies.

Free Dennis Kozlowski, stop wasting taxpayer money imprisoning someone who was more reflective of an era than evil, and move onto bigger battles.

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

• American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) blamed another big loss on housing and credit markets.
• Barrett Business Services Inc. (NASDAQ: BBSI) beat Q2 estimates and raised its Q3 guidance.
• Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) Q2 loss was three times more than analysts had predicted.
• Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE) big loss was due to loan write-offs, but revenue rose 10%.
• HSBC Holdings PLC (NYSE: HBC) reported a drop in profit and warned of more difficulties to come.
• InterContinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE) posted Q2 results that were in line with Wall Street expectations.
• Marvel Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: MVL) posted strong Q2 results on Iron Man and Incredible Hulk movies.
• Midway Games Inc. (NYSE: MWY) widened its Q2 net loss as revenues slumped.
• News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) posted strong Q4 results on asset gains, and warned of slower growth.
• Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA) posted a worse-than-expected Q2 loss despite cost controls.
• Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) healthy Q4 and full-year results beat analysts' expectations.
• RadiSys Corp. (NASDAQ: RSYS) easily beat Q2 expectations on strong demand for wireless products.
• Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) net income slumped on declining AOL subscriber fees (see transcript).
• Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) beat Q3 earnings expectations and raised its full-year guidance.
• Whole Foods Market International (NASDAQ: WFMI) posted dismal results and suspended its dividend.

Tyco International (NYSE: TYC) is a leading provider of security products and services, fire protection and detection products and services, valves and controls, and other industrial products. The firm has operations in more than 60 countries, employing 118,000 worldwide. Customers include commercial and shipping enterprises, governmental entities, military forces, transportation systems, original equipment manufacturers, engineering contractors and homeowners. General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Honeywell International (NYSE: HON) are major competitors.

The company pleased investors last week, when it reported Q3 EPS of 88 cents and revenues of $5.21 billion. Analysts had been expecting 67 cents and $5.15 billion. Each of the firm's five divisions posted double-digit increases in operating income. Management also guided FY08 EPS to $2.97-$2.99 ($2.76 consensus).

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of watching all the red on the screen. Everyday we're faced with doomsday predictions facing the real estate market, the credit crunch, rising inflation, natural disasters, and my favorite, the Iranian threat facing the entire world.

Bloomberg is out with a story this morning that details the soaring arson rate in foreclosed homes around the U.S. As foreclosed homes are vacated, arson rates are on the rise. Not surprisingly, the highest arson rates are in the states with the highest foreclosure rates.

According to Bloomberg, "Last year, fires in vacant Nevada buildings increased 4 percent from a year earlier." Local officials think that number may grow this year. Bloomerg further states, "The state had the worst foreclosure rate in the U.S. during the first quarter, with one filing for every 54 households, according to data compiled by RealtyTrac Inc. The national rate was one filing per 194 households, analysts at the Irvine, California company said."

How can investors play this without taking out policies on their neighbors' houses? Investors may want to look at Tyco International (NYSE: TYC). Yes, that same company that had corporate execs dipping both hands into the cookie jar and spending on lavish parties, apartments, umbrella stands -- all during the excesses of the late 1990's. Well, the company is a leader in Fire and Safety products: everything from sprinkler systems in office buildings to its ADT division, a leading alarm monitoring firm.

The stock hasn't done much after the company broke itself up into three separate, publicly traded companies. It's pretty diversified in its products and does have a lot of exposure to the building industry -- so, a prolonged downturn in the housing industry could affect the firm. But it's got some world class products, a global sales and marketing infrastructure and is diversified in its businesses to capture global growth.

Hopefully, it won't crash and burn like the foreclosed, U.S. homeowner.

Zack Miller is the managing editor of IsraelNewsletter.com and a former equity analyst for a leading multinational hedge fund. Author is long TYC stock.

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

• Allegiant Travel Co. (NASDAQ: ALGT) beat estimates with soaring Q1 revenues, bucking the airline trend.
• Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) Q1 profits doubled but fell short of expectations.
• Avon Products Inc. (NYSE: AVP) posted solid Q1 results despite negative operational cash flow.
• Centex Corp. (NYSE: CTX) posted a Q4 loss well below analyst estimates.
• Cigna Corp. (NYSE: CI) profits plunged in the first quarter on litigation charges.
• Countrywide Financial Corp. (NYSE: CFC) posted another big loss, way off estimates of a small profit.
• Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE: DB) posted its first quarterly loss since 2003 on write-downs.
• Gardner Denver Inc. (NYSE: GDI) beat Q1 expectations and raised its outlook for the year.
• International Paper Co. (NYSE: IP) fell short of Wall Street's Q1 earnings estimates.
• Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) beat Q1 estimates and offered fully-year guidance.
• KBR Inc. (NYSE: KBR) Q1 profit more than doubled on arbitration benefit.
• MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA) topped analysts' expectations as Q1 profits more than doubled.
• Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP) Q1 profits tumbled 55% but still beat analysts' estimates.

After the FOMC tankeroo yesterday, would you have ever guessed that this would be such a great market day? Well it was. Oil falling almost $1.00 to $112.52 and gold back down to almost under $850/ounce are helping. It looks like traders are piling back on the "stuff and money" rather then commodities and a weak dollar. With the huge move today, you have to wonder where it all came from as the calls and the news was lighter than on many days. Below are the unofficial closing prices from 4:00 PM EST:

• Dow 13,011.06 +190.93 +1.49%
• S&P 500 1,409.06 +23.47 +1.69%
• NASDAQ 2,480.71 +67.91 +2.81%
• 10YR-TBond 3.749% (-0.01%)
• 52-WEEK LOWS.

Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA) fell after a doubled net income failed to meet estimates. They generated a net income of $1.02 billion or $3.03 EPS compared to $492.9 million, or $1.47 EPS first quarter 2007. Average estimates by Thomson expected EPS of $3.06. Outlook for production in 2008 was also more conservative. Shares lost 6% to $126.41.

Tyco International (NYSE: TYC) is a leading provider of security products and services, fire protection and detection products and services, valves and controls, and other industrial products. The firm has operations in more than 60 countries, employing 118,000 worldwide. Customers include commercial and shipping enterprises, governmental entities, military forces, transportation systems, original equipment manufacturers, engineering contractors and homeowners. General Electric (NYSE: GE) and Honeywell International (NYSE: HON) are major competitors.

The company pleased investors last week, when it guided fiscal Q1 revenues to $4.87 billion. Analysts had been expecting $4.75 billion. The CEO noted strong operational performances across all business units. Management also boosted FY08 EPS guidance to $2.60-$2.70. That was up from a previous estimate of $2.50-$2.65 and compared well with the consensus Street view of $2.60. UBS subsequently reiterated its 'buy' rating on the issue. TYC shares popped on the news and have since moved into a bullish 'flag' consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling on entry. In this case, that would be to the upside.

Brokers recommend the stock with six 'buys,' four 'holds' and one 'underperform.' Analysts see a 27% average annual growth rate through the next five years. The TYC Price to Sales ratio (0.98), Price to Book ratio (1.18) and Price to Free Cash Flow ratio (7.50) compare favorably with industry, sector and S&P 500 averages. Institutional investors hold about 88% of the outstanding shares. The stock is one of those used to calculate the S&P 100 and S&P 500 Indexes. Over the past 52 weeks, it has traded between $31.01 and $55.17. A stop-loss of $32.40 looks good here. Note that the firm is expected to release Q1 results on February 5th, before the open.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com. He does not hold positions in any of the stocks mentioned above.

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

• Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) beat expectations in both earnings and revenues.
• Bob Evans Farms Inc. (NASDAQ: BOBE) beat estimates despite rising labor and commodities costs.
• Cimatron Ltd. (NASDAQ: CIMT) reported record revenues and improved profits.
• FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) cut its outlook, leading the share price to a 52-week low.
• Fossil Inc. (NASDAQ: FOSL) had a strong quarter due to international sales and cost cutting.
• Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) profits declined due to the housing slowdown.
• JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP) beat low expectations despite it first profit decline in three quarters.
• PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP), reaffirmed its full-year forecast after the recent restructuring announcement.
• Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) narrowed its losses, due largely to higher auction and private sale commissions.
• Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) met expectations but lowered its guidance.
• Tandy Brands Accessories Inc. (NASDAQ: TBAC) posted losses due to overreliance on a single customer.
• TJX Cos. (NYSE: TJX) fell short of expectations but offered sunny full-year guidance.
• Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) beat expectations and offered "cautiously optimistic" outlook.
• Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) beat estimates on improved U.S. performance and international growth.

Jim Cramer offers three tests for financial stocks. Zac Bissonnette examines the relationship between earnings and the number of press releases generated by a company.

Upcoming results to watch for include: Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT), Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFMI), Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF), Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS), and Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE).

Visit AOL Money & Finance for more earnings coverage.

Dennis Kozlowski is everywhere these days. CNBC featured an interview with the former Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) chief executive from jail where he spoke about the difficulty in doing hard time and how he's helping his fellow inmates earn their GEDs. A Wall Street Journal editorial recently argued that Kozlowski was "railroaded" and that "living large isn't a crime."

Funny thing is that his former company seems to be doing just fine unwinding the empire that Kozlowski built. The conglomerate, which is splitting up into three separate companies, today reported better-than-expected third quarter results. Net income was $181 million, or 36 cents per share. Excluding one-time items, profit was $285 million, or 57 cents. Revenue jumped $5.03 billion. The results beat Wall Street consensus estimates of 55-cent profit on revenue of $4.97 billion.

Shares of Tyco are down $1.11, or 2.82%, to $38.20 because Tyco's yearly guidance for profit of $2.50 to $2.65 a share was below the $2.62 analysts had projected.

In a conference call with analysts, Kozlowski's replacement Ed Breen said the company was "cautiously optimistic" about its outlook for 2008, according to Bloomberg News. The company's revenue growth of 5.4%, which beat Tyco's estimates, was particularly impressive.

Shares of Tyco, which are down about 18% over the past year, are trading at near their 52-week low. Do some investors miss Kozlowski? Maybe. But if the world never learned about $6,000 shower curtains and tacky birthday parties, "Deal a Day Dennis" probably would have been forced to split up the company he cobbled together through acquisitions. Conglomerates, including General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), are no longer the darlings that they once were on Wall Street.

Dennis Kozlowski, the former CEO of Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC) who gained notoriety for his infamous party sporting a statue of David spouting vodka from its penis, paid for in part by the company's shareholders, is back in the news.

The 60-year old former bigwig was sentenced to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison in 2005, and his wife filed for divorce in January. He was served with the papers in prison. But now divorce talks between the two parties have broken down, and it is expected that Kozlowski will have to disclose his assets by October 15.

That could make shareholders happy, as they may be able to collect damages related to Kozlowski's looting during his tenure at the company.

According to Bloomberg, Kozlowski has paid $97 million restitution to Tyco, but still owes a $70 million fine, most of which is being held in escrow pending the outcome of his appeal. Roughly $600 million in assets held by Kozlowski were frozen by a court in 2002, and Tyco is still hoping to recover more money from its former CEO.

For an excellent overview of everything that went wrong at Tyco during Kozlowski's time at the helm, check out Greed Corporate Failure.

Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE:TYC) shares have performed dismally since it completed its spin-off of Tyco Electronics Ltd. (NYSE:TEL) and Covidien Ltd. (NYSE:COV). In fact, those have been poor performers as well. It isn't easy being one of the few naysayers ahead of a major event like this, but there are frequently too many conflicted reports out there. Does anyone expect that the large investment banking firms facilitating that deal or near-term financing would actually post a 'HIGH CAUTION" alert on any of the companies? Exactly.

Before the spin-off was implemented, I noted a "phantom premium" in Tyco's stock because the investing world was just too much in love with spin-offs, mergers, and private equity at the time. Interestingly enough, this shakeout may be going a bit too far as far as the overall values of the three units now. There is more data that needs to be crunched to verify this, but next week subscribers of the Special Situation Investing Newsletter will receive a newsletter with a tie of a company to one of the remaining ex-Tyco Newco stocks.

We ran a basket analysis this morning and showed that the ex-Tyco group as a whole was down twice as much as the general markets off of the July highs. That was also before the drop in all three stocks this morning. Mergers and special situations are not dead by any means. But now the funny-money deals are going to be a thing of the past. Deals might even have to make sense other than the greater fool theory from here on out. The good news is that the stupidity in mergers and special situations has been flushed out of the market and analysis doesn't have to worry about irrational conditions clouding up the picture.

Jon Ogg is a partner in 24/7 Wall St., LLC; he produces the Special Situation Investing Newsletter and does not own securities in the companies he covers.