Analyst Upgrades

• Sapient (SAPE) to outperform from market perform at Wells Fargo.
• Kroger (KR) to buy from neutral at UBS.
• Harman (HAR) to overweight from neutral and Deutsche Bank (DB) to neutral from underweight at JPMorgan.
• Savient (SVNT) to outperform from market perform at JMP Securities.
• LabCorp (LH) to buy from hold at Deutsche Bank.
• Optimer Pharm (OPTR) and Landstar System (LSTR) to outperform from neutral at RW Baird.
• Essex Property Trust (ESS) to buy from neutral at Janney Capital.
• Tyson Foods (TSN) to neutral from sell at Goldman.
• Host Hotels (HST) to outperform from sector perform at RBC Capital.
• SPX Corp. (SPW) to outperform from market perform at FBR Capital.

"I expect Vimpel-Communications (VIP) -- Russia's major mobile phone operator -- to perform strongly over the next couple of months," says international expert Nicholas Vardy.

In his Global Bull Market Alert, the advisor explains, "VimpelCom's fundamentals are strong and improving." Here's his bullish outlook on the shares.

"The company increased its mobile subscribers by 1.7 million between the second and third quarters, bringing its total number of subscribers to 65.4 million. That's 13% more than last year.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: The software sector, Ericsson, Paccar, Eni SpA and Valueclick were today's noteworthy downgrades:

• Bear Stearns downgraded the software sector to Underweight from Market Weight, citing valuations and increased risk to 2008 IT budgets.
  
• Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight at Lehman and to Neutral from Overweight at JP Morgan following the company's Q3 profit warning.
  
• Paccar (NASDAQ: PCAR) was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at Wachovia. The firm believes Street estimates are too high due to weaker-than-expected North American unit production.
  
• ABN Amro downgraded shares of Eni SpA (NYSE: E) to Sell from Hold as they expect the company to invest significantly more in its upstream activities than guidance suggests due to cost pressures.
  
• Oppenheimer downgraded ValueClick (NASDAQ: VCLK) to Neutral from Buy following the Q3 pre-announcement and guidance.

OTHER DOWNGRADES:

• Merrill downgraded Equity Lifestyle Properties (NYSE: ELS) to Neutral from Buy.
  
• Autodesk (NASDAQ: ADSK) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  
• JP Morgan downgraded ACA Capital Holdings (NYSE: ACA) To Neutral from Overweight.
  
• Citigroup downgraded Vimpel Communications (NYSE: VIP) to Sell from Hold.
  
• Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Gabelli.