MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• CIBC upgraded Barrick Gold (NYSE: ABX) to Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer based on stronger 2H08 production.
  
• RBC Capital upgraded Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS) to Sector Perform from Underperform citing expectations for benign credit deterioration near-term, retail momentum, and asset growth in international banking.
  
• Morgan Keegan upgraded Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) to Outperform from Market Perform based on improving productivity and earnings outlook.

• Rangold Resources (NASDAQ: GOLD) was upgraded at HSBC to Overweight from Neutral.
  
• Goldman raised ORIX Corp (NYSE: IX) to Neutral from Sell.
  
• Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT) was upgraded at Pacific Crest to Sector Perform from Underperform.

Analyst upgrades: ABX, BNS, WMT, GOLD, IX, LQDT originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Jefferies downgraded shares of FBR Capital Markets (NASDAQ: FBCM) to Hold from Buy and lowered their target to $9 from $14 as they believe the company's investment banking activity will continue to be limited due to the current market conditions for capital raising.
  
• Wachovia downgraded shares of Altus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALTU) to Market Perform from Outperform following Genentech's (NYSE: DNA) return of all North American marketing rights to ALTU-238.
  
• Energias de Portugal (OTC: EDPFY) was lowered to Hold from Buy at Citigroup, as they see no valuation catalysts in the near-term.

• JP Morgan removed Teekay LNG (NYSE: TGP) from its Focus List.
  
• Goldman downgraded ORIX Corp. (NYSE: IX) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Friedman Billings downgraded VeraSun Energy (NYSE: VSE) to Market Perform from Outperform.

Analyst downgrades: FBCM, ALTU and EDPFY originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Dec 2007 11:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.