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

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) shares declined despite an earnings beat and a positive outlook
• Bank of America Corp. (BAC) reported that its Q4 loss widened more than expected by Wall Street.
• Capital One Financial Corp. (COF) reported better-than-expected earnings but shares declined.
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) is seen as on-track to record double-digit earnings growth in 2010.
• Cree Inc. (CREE) strong earnings and revenue growth sent shares to a new 52-week high.

Today started out on a weak note after the jobs data showed that the weekly jobless claims was heading back higher again after a reprieve. The huge 10%+ GDP in China did not add much other than the notion that serious rate hikes might be needed there. Then after a solid spate of earnings, President Obama introduced yet one more new attack on bank trading and investing activities. This immediately took a bite out of big money center banks, but added to regional banks. This is just creating more and more volatility, and more and more regulatory and political uncertainty that investors prefer.

Here are the unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 10,389.88 -213.27 (-2.01%)
S&P 500 1,116.48 -21.56 (-1.89%)
Nasdaq 2,265.70 -25.55 (-1.12%)

Top Tech Day Trader Stocks
Top Analyst Upgrades/Downgrades
Top Stock & Market Rumors

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The Restaurant Sector, Blockbuster and Plexus were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Bear Stearns upgraded the Restaurant Sector to Market Weight from Underweight citing better investor sentiment following Fed rate cuts and the economic stimulus plan; upgraded shares include Brinker International (NYSE: EAT), Cheesecake Factory (NASDAQ: CAKE) and Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI).
  
• JP Morgan upgraded shares of Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) to Overweight from Neutral ahead of the company's Q4 results on March 6, as they believe the quarter will be at least in-line and 2008 guidance will be above Street expectations.
  
• Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS) was raised to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse as they believe current quarter sales and bookings are tracking ahead.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ: MXWL) was upgraded to Market Perform from Market Underperform at JMP Securities.
  
• The firm also raised Sotheby's (NYSE: BID) to Market Outperform from Market Perform.
  
• Goldman Sachs added Allianz AG (NYSE: AZ) to its Conviction Buy List.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The small-cap bank sector, Waste Connections, Warnaco Group and Intersections were today's noteworthy upgrades:

• Lehman upgraded the small-cap bank sector to Neutral from Negative as they expect the group to benefit from the decline in short-term interest rates and the steeping yield curve. The firm upgraded Associated Banc-Corp (NASDAQ: ASBC), Pacific Capital Bancorp (NASDAQ: PCBC) and Westpac Banking Corp (NYSE: WBK) to Equal Weight from Underweight.
  
• Friedman Billings added Waste Connections (NYSE: WCN) to its Top Picks list. The firm believes the company can outperform the group and overall market in an economic downturn.
  
• Warnaco Group (NASDAQ: WRNC) was upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan on valuation and growth potential.
  
• JMP Securities' checks indicate that Intersections (NASDAQ: INTX) is on track to meet EPS expectations for the quarter and is well positioned to beat their 2008 EPS estimate of 80c. The firm raised shares to Strong Buy from Outperform.

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Best Buy Incorporated (NYSE: BBY) and AutoZone (NYSE: AZO) were upgraded to Strong Buy from Outperform at Raymond James.
  
• The firm also upgraded shares of CBRL Group (NASDAQ: CBRL) to Market Perform from Outperform.
  
• JP Morgan upgraded Ruby Tuesday (NYSE: RT) and Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) to Overweight from Neutral.
  
• Bear Stearns raised MFA Mortgage Investments (NYSE: MFA) to Outperform from Peer Perform.
  
• Goldman added Automatic Data Processing (NYSE: ADP) to its Conviction Buy List.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Celgene (CELG), Flextronics (FLEX), TradeStation (TRAD) and Assisted Living Concepts (ALC) were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Jefferies is positive on Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG) over the longer term given the company's robust earnings growth potential and strong cash flow prospects, and started shares with a Buy.

• Flextronics (NASDAQ: FLEX) was assumed with a Buy rating at Banc of America, who called the proposed acquisition of Solectron (SLR) a positive.

• Friedman Billings believes TradeStation's (NASDAQ: TRAD) unique platform differentiates it from the competition and gives it a sustained advantage, starting shares with an Outperform.

• Ferris Baker Watts initiated Assisted Living (NYSE: ALC) with a Buy rating, calling shares attractive...

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Banc of America assumed Benchmark Electronics (NYSE: BHE) and Flextronics with Buy ratings as well as Celestica (CLS, target $6), Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS), Solectron, Sanmina-SCI Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) with Neutral ratings.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The electronics manufacturing services sector was today's noteworthy initiation:

• Credit Suisse initiated coverage of the EMS sector with an Underweight. The firm believes the industry is burdened with overcapacity in high-cost manufacturing regions, with hyper competition, allowing for no pricing power.
  
• The analyst initiated Flextronics International Ltd (NASDAQ: FLEX) with an Outperform rating.
  
• Benchmark Electronics, Inc (NYSE: BHE), Jabil Circuit, Inc (NYSE: JBL), Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) and Sanmina-SCI Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) were started with Neutral ratings.
• Celestica Inc (NYSE: CLS) and Solectron Corp (NYSE: SLR) were initiated with Underperform ratings.
  

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Nollenberger initiated Chico's FAS, Inc (NYSE: CHS), Cache, Inc (NASDAQ: CACH) and AnnTaylor Stores Corp (NYSE: ANN) with Neutral ratings.
  
• Nollenberger also started coverage of Bebe Stores, Inc (NASDAQ: BEBE) and American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) with Buy ratings.

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

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Plexus Corp (PLXS) and Ameristar Casinos Inc (ASCA) were some of today's most notable initiations:

• Lehman initiated Plexus Corp (NASDAQ: PLXS) with an Underweight rating and $15.50 target.

• Wachovia started Ameristar Casinos Inc (NASDAQ: ASCA) with an Outperform rating; the firm sees upside for Ameristar through growth of existing properties that have expansions and the removal of the $500 loss limit in Missouri.

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Mattel Inc (NYSE: MAT) was initiated with a Hold rating at Sterne Agee.

• First Albany started Gaming Partners International Corp (NASDAQ: GPIC) with a Buy rating and $23 target.

• Jefferies initiated Morgans Hotel Group Co (NASDAQ: MHGC) with a Hold rating and $20 target based on valuation.

• UBS started E*Trade Financial Corp (NASDAQ: ETFC) with a Buy rating and $29 target.

• UBS also started TD Ameritrade Holding Corp (NASDAQ: AMTD) with a Neutral rating on valuation.

• Stifel initiated Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) with a Buy rating and $31 target; the firm is positive on Saia's growth and said the company should be the biggest beneficiary of further tonnage leakage from Central Freight Lines, which recently went private.

• William Blair started US BioEnergy Corp (NASDAQ: USBE) with an Outperform rating.

• JMP Securities assumed coverage of Delta Financial Corp (NYSE: DFC) with a Strong Buy rating and $13 target.

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