My recent Investing in Oregon post took a look at some companies that the Motley Fool had featured in its investigation of investment opportunities in the Beaver State, including Precision Castparts Corp. (NYSE: PCP), StanCorp Financial Group Inc. (NYSE: SFG), FLIR Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR), and Columbia Sportswear Co. (NASDAQ: COLM).

But the Motley Fool article also mentioned that one of the most prominent business influences in Oregon wasn't even headquartered in the state: semiconductor giant Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) from Santa Clara, California. It also included mention of four Oregon-based businesses that provided support for Intel: Tektronix Inc. (NYSE: TEK), Mentor Graphics Corp. (NASDAQ: MENT), Triquint Semiconductor Inc. (NASDAQ: TQNT), and Electro Scientific Industries Inc. (NASDAQ: ESIO). One could imagine that Intel's impressive earnings report this week should have been good news for these supporting companies.

Beaverton-based Tektronix, widely known as Tek, is one of the leading makers of test and measurement equipment, such as digital multimeters, logic analyzers, and curve tracers, and oscilloscopes. Tek will win its seventh technical Emmy this year. Tek beat Wall Street expectations in its previous three quarters, reporting earnings per share of 40 cents for its first quarter FY2008. But the consensus of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial was to hold shares of Tek. The share price reached a 52-week high of $37.95 on Monday when it was announced that Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) will acquire Tek. Tool and equipment maker Danaher just announced record third quarter results.

Before the bell: Oil tops $85, Citi reports, futures lower

Not surprising, the recall affected Mattel Inc.'s (NYSE: MAT) earnings as it reported a 1% drop in fiscal third-quarter profit, due to charges related to multiple product recalls. The company earned $236.8 million, or 61 cents per share including charges of about $40 million related to the company's product recalls of lead-tainted merchandise imported from China. Sales rose 3% to $1.84 billion. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected profit of 70 cents per share on revenue of $1.91 billion. MAT shares are up over 2% in premarket trading.

Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR) is buying Tektronix Inc. (NYSE: TEK) for $2.85 billion or $38 per share for Textronix shares, a 34% premium to Tektronix's closing stock price Friday. TEK shares are up over 32.5% in premarket trading.

Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) is reporting earnings today and is expected to report earnings of 72 cents a share for the third quarter, according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.

PetroChina Co. (NYSE: PTR) gained the most in five months in Hong Kong trading as oil rose to a record above $85 a barrel to become the world's second-largest company, pushing General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) to third place. Can it take the first place from Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM)? PTR shares are up over 11% in premarket trading.

Greenpeace has attacked Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) for failing to make its well hyped cellphone, the iPhone, as green as his competitors'.

According to Reuters: "Ford (NYSE: F) expects to sell its Jaguar and Land Rover UK premium brands in the next two months but does not expect to sell them separately, the head of Ford Europe, John Fleming."

Just a few days after Boeing (NYSE: BA) announced a six-month delay for its 787 Dreamliner, Airbus finally delivered its first A380 superjumbo jet Monday.

Today, News Corp. (NYSE: NWS) will launch its Main Street focused Fox Business Network to challenge the highly profitable Wall Street focused CNBC from General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE).

Motorola Inc. (NYSE: MOT) shares are up over 1.5% this morning after weekend reports said that "activist investor Carl Icahn has signalled the possible launch of a new campaign against the company if performance at the telecommunications equipment maker does not improve."

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Tektronix, Inc (TEK), GameStop Corp (GME) PrivateBancorp, Inc (PVTB), Quebecor World Inc (IQW) and CheckFree Corp (CKFR) were today's more noteworthy upgrades:

• JP Morgan upgraded shares of Tektronix (NYSE: TEK) to Overweight from Underweight citing improving sector fundamentals.

• JP Morgan also raised GameStop (NYSE: GME) to Overweight from Neutral based on the May sales data.

• Oppenheimer upgraded PrivateBancorp (NASDAQ: PVTB) to Neutral from Sell based on valuation.

• BMO Capital raised Quebecor World (NYSE: IQW) to Market Perform from Underperform on valuation.

• CheckFree (NASDAQ: CKFR) was assumed with a Sector Outperformer from Sector Performer at CIBC citing a favorable risk/reward, solid secular underlying trends, and overblown concerns for its rating...

OTHER UPGRADES:

• Symantec Corp (NASDAQ: SYMC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman.

• Ingersoll-Rand Co Ltd (NYSE: IR) was raised to Outperform from Peer Perform at Bear Stearns.

• ThinkEquity upgraded shares of Jones Soda Co (NASDAQ: JSDA) to Buy from Accumulate.

• BB&T upgraded Pacific Sunwear of California (NASDAQ: PSUN) to Buy from Hold.

• Goldman added Cigna Corp (NYSE: CI) to its America's Conviction List.

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

Monday April 9

• Lawson Software Inc (NASDAQ: LWSN) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 4:30.
• PDUFA Date for Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc's (NASDAQ: MLNM) Velcade, which is a new type of cancer drug called a proteasome inhibitor.
• Bank of Japan to hold two-day monetary policy meeting.

Tuesday April 10

• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) to hold annual shareholder meeting at 9am.
• Alcoa Inc (NYSE: AA) to report Q1 earnings, signaling the official start of the Spring earnings period; conference call at 5pm.

Wednesday April 11

• Research in Motion Limited (NASDAQ: RIMM) to report Q4 earnings; conference call at 4:30pm.
• Genentech Inc (NYSE: DNA) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 5:15pm.

Thursday April 12

• Tektronix Inc (NYSE: TEK) to hold Investor Conference at 9am.
• Krispy Kreme Donuts Inc (NYSE: KKD) to report Q earnings; conference call at 4:30pm.

Friday April 13

• General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) to report Q1 earnings; conference call at 8:30am.

Stock futures are lower in early morning indicating to a similar start for the stock market ahead of some key economic data due to be released today.

At 8:30 a.m., before markets open, the Labor Department will report February's consumer price index. Economists forecast a 0.3% increase compared to a 0.2% increase in January. Ex-food and and energy, core CPI is expected to rise 0.2% after gaining 0.3% in the previous month. Investors will be watching this inflationary measure closely as the Fed meets to discuss interest rate policy next week. What's more, yesterday's PPI surprise is causing further concerns inflationary pressures are sill strong.

Despite PPI coming much higher than expected yesterday and other indication about mounting inflation (at the wholesale level) and slower economic growth, markets finished on a positive note. The reason, many speculate, has to do with several options and futures contracts expiring today bringing buyers into the market. Corporate M&A activity also helped strengthened stocks yesterday.

Other economic data will be reported today: February capacity utilization and industrial production figures will be released just before markets open. March consumer confidence is due at 10:00 a.m., after the open, and is expected to show a slight drop.

The dollar dropped to a three-months low against the euro ahead of the coming U.S. economic data that could further point to weakening U.S. economy. The dollar also lost ground against the yen and 12 other currencies.
After falling to near $57 a barrel, oil prices rose this morning.

In corporate news:

OMI Corp. (NYSE:OMN), operator of a fleet of oil tankers, may put itself up for sale. The company hired advisers to explore sale and its board is reviewing several strategic alternatives.

Nissan Motor Co. (NASDAQ:NSANY) CEO Carlos Ghosn would give up the duty of overseeing operations in the Americas. The automaker shuffles top management as it heads for its first annual profit decline in seven years.