This week we turn the calendar page, and that change brings with it a raft of economic data. Scheduled for release on Monday are pending home sales and personal income numbers for January, as well as the Chicago PMI and car and truck sales data for February.

On Tuesday, look for the ISM Manufacturing Index for February and construction spending numbers for January. That's followed on Wednesday by the week's first employment data: the Challenger Job-Cuts announcement and the ADP employment report for February. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will deliver his semiannual monetary policy testimony before Congress on both days.

If in December, as outlined, you scooped-up shares of professional engineering/construction services provider URS Corporation (URS), first discussed on June 5, 2009, at a price of $51.56, you made the correct move. The stock is finally starting to get some respect from institutional investors (IIs).

URS's stock has progressed nicely this winter, rising about 15% in three months and the the stock should trade above $50 in 2011, according to my analysis.

Analyst Upgrades

• Heico (HEI) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.
• Eaton (ETN), Silgan Holdings (SLGN), MYR Group (MYRG) and Shaw Group (SHAW) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Infosys (INFY) to buy from Neutral at Nomura.
• Isle of Capri (ISLE) to buy from neutral at Merriman.
• NovaGold (NG) to sector perform from underperform at RBC Capital.
• CarMax (KMX) and Rockwell Collins (COL) to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• DHT Holdings (DHT) to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.
• Cabot Oil & Gas (COG) to overweight from underweight at Morgan Stanley.

The shares of professional engineering/construction services provider URS Corporation (URS), first discussed on June 5, 2009 at a price of $51.56, have cleared the danger zone I wrote about earlier this fall, so now would be a decent time to consider scooping-up some shares. URS should trade above $50 in 2011, according to my analysis

Look for URS to post a modest 2-3% revenue increase in 2010, followed by a 10-15% rise in 2011. Long-term, both federal government-related and private sector (industrial and commercial) work should gradually attract more institutional investors (IIs) back to the stock in 2011, after a portion of the less-patient IIs exited their URS position this year.

The Thomson Reuters First Call FY2010/FY2011 EPS estimates for URS are $3.69 to $3.68. That FY2011 EPS estimate looks about 5% low, according to my analysis.

Talk about disappointing seasons. The shares of professional engineering/construction services provider URS Corp. (URS), first discussed on June 5, 2009 at a price of $51.56, swooned this summer, hitting a low of about $35.

If you managed to survive the plunge, there is modest good news: shares have rebounded, but by no means has URS registered a trend reversal yet of its bear-hug pattern.

One culprit in URS's plunge is the company's likely, modest, 2-3% revenue increase in 2010. Longer term, both federal government-related and private sector (industrial and commercial) work should gradually improve in 2011, but it appears a portion of institutional investor community weren't willing to wait that long, and exited their positions.

Option traders appear to be setting up for a bullish move on Patterson-UTI Energy Inc. (PTEN). Traders plowed into 3,378 new call option contracts -- 10.21 times the average volume -- on the stock on Tuesday. And we know that traders were eager to get into this trade because 94% of the trades came in on the ask price.

Patterson-UTI faces resistance just below $17. The stock closed Tuesday at $16.19, up 9.42% during the past month.

Option traders also look like they are preparing for a bearish move on iShares iBoxx $ Invest Grade Corp Bond (LQD). Traders bought 10,043.00 new put option contracts -- 7.92 times the average volume -- on the stock. A full 100% of these trades also came in on the ask price.

The stock closed Tuesday at $111.52, up 1.09% during the past month.

The shares of professional engineering/construction services provider URS Corp. (URS), first discussed on June 5, 2009 at a price of $51.56, have pulled-back with the Dow's recent retreat, but just view that as an opportunity to scoop-up shares at a decent price.

Look for URS's 2010 revenue to increase 3-5% in 2010, on the prospect of increased infrastructure work; industrial and commerce power project activity will likely moderate, however.

Analyst Upgrades

• UBS upgraded Yum! Brands (YUM) to buy from neutral, citing valuation, improving momentum and stabilizing China fast-food sales. The firm raised its target to $44 from $38.
• United Technologies (UTX) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Cowen.
• Needham upgraded Arris (ARRS) to buy from hold, citing valuation and positive near-term business trends. The firm has a $16 price target on shares.
• Warnaco (WRC) was upgraded to outperform from neutral at Credit Suisse.
• Aetna (AET) was upgraded to neutral from underperform at BofA/Merrill.
• Nestle (NSRGY) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at JPMorgan.

As noted in December 2009, the stock of professional engineering/construction services provider URS Corp (URS), first discussed here on June 5, 2009 at a price of $51.56, put in a bottom last fall, on the prospect of increased industrial and commerce power project activity, and new work from government at all levels.

Also, margins should widen in 2010, and URS's balance sheet remains strong. One potential speed-bump: a shortage of skilled engineers, if the U.S. economic recovery accelerates; there is no shortage now, with U.S. unemployment at 9.7%, nor should one appear before late 2010.

URS Corporation's (URS) stock continues to correct -- it's down about 20% since the June buy call -- but investors should view the pull-back as a buy opportunity, and I'm reiterating my recommendation at $51.56 on June 6, 2009. Here's why:

URS Corp's likely stock trend is higher because industrial and commerce power project activity should bottom in the quarters ahead, and that fact, combined with a lack of project cancellation by state and local governments, and new federal projects, should convince institutional investors (IIs) that URS's revenue growth will accelerate in FY2010. The First Call FY2009/FY2010 EPS estimates for URS are $3.09 to $3.26.

URS Corporation's (NYSE: URS) stock performance has disappointed since the Buy recommendation at $51.56 on June 6, 2009: it's fallen about 15%.

Still, investors who can tolerate moderate risk should view the dip as a buying opportunity. Here's why:

Put planning/construction management company URS Corp. (NYSE: URS) in that category of companies that have been rudely treated by Wall Street. From the way, institutions dumped the stock in October 2008, one would think that the United States would not build or repair another electric or water system or build another public facility. From a high over $60, the Street hammered shares to a low around $20. Or, as a CEO friend of mine says when he sees irrational behavior in a corporate environment, "It was a totally unacceptable thought process."

Wall Street's fits-and-starts continued over the winter, hence a Buy rating was delayed here regarding URS until it cleared the $50 mark, and now that the psychologically important "5-0" has been breached, look for shares to continue their upward movement.

Analyst upgrades:

• Baird upgraded URS Corp. (NYSE: URS) to Outperform from Neutral and raised its target to Outperform from Neutral based on momentum of new wins from stimulus funds and expectations for additional nuclear contracts.
• Jefferies upgraded EnerSys (NYSE: ENS) to Buy from Hold following the recent share weakness as it believes volumes have stopped declining and the June quarter is likely the bottom. The firm raised its target price to $18 from $11.
• RBC Capital upgraded Camden Property (NYSE: CPT) to Outperform from Sector Perform citing the company's improved financial capacity and portfolio position. The firm raised its target price to $34 from $23.
• CBS Corp (NYSE: CBS) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays.
• UDR (NYSE: UDR) was raised to Sector Perform from Underperform at RBC Capital and to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette.
• Zale (NYSE: ZLC) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merril.

While the release of economic data doesn't stop next week (see economic schedule highlights below), the earnings season does wind down dramatically. Most of the S&P 500 companies already have reported on the past quarter, which means dismal earnings news is largely behind us, at least for a while. About the only companies of note expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters to report falling earnings this week are Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST), Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc. (NYSE: WEN), Foot Locker Inc. (NYSE: FL), Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO), and Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (NYSE: LVB).

While PetSmart Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) and Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) quarterly profits are expected to be about the same as a year ago, Liz Claiborne Inc. (NYSE: LIZ), Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. (NYSE: KCP), Ciena Corp. (NASDAQ: CIEN), and Trina Solar Ltd. (NYSE: TSL) are expected to have swung to losses in the most recent quarter.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Infrastructure is a clear priority for President-elect Obama," says Bill Wilton, editor of Zacks Growth Trader looks to construction management firm, URS Corp. (NYSE URS) as his top idea for 2009.

"Typically, as we get down to the last page on the calendar, most market participants have a concrete opinion on what the next 12 months will bring.

"This year we have the benefit of the soon-to-be president of the United States telling us what to plan for, given his stated plans to focus on the nation's infrastructure.

"URS Corp provides a wide range of construction management and technical services for several industries that should benefit from the Obama's plan.

"The particularly relevant sectors include transportation, general building, and utilities. The company services government entities as well as private and institutional clients.