Broader Markets Look Strong

Stocks appeared set to open higher Monday.

Robertson Stephens upgrades Dell
Computer
(
DELL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
from Market Perform to Buy and raised its price target on
the computer maker from $26 to $35.

According to a report in the Wall
Street Journal
the NASD is prepared to release results of a regulatory probe
of Knight Trading
(
NITE |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
and whether it has committed a number of
trading-rule violations.

Extreme Networks
(
EXTR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

reaffirmed Q4 earnings coming in between 1 to 2 cents a share with revenues
between $108 million  to $110 million.

Vignette
(
VIGN |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
warned for Q4
stating it sees a net loss between 4 to 6 cents verses consensus estimates of a
loss of 2 cents a share.

Computer Access Technology
(
CATZ |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

named Jean-Louis Gassee as President and Chief Executive Officer replacing Dan
Wilnai, who will remain as Chairman of the Board.

Chiron Corp
(
CHIR |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
said it will
buy cancer maker Matrix Pharmaceutical
(
MATX |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
for $61 million.  CHIR
is purchasing MATX to expand its’ cancer drug line.

Lucent Technologies
(
LU |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
names
Patricia Russo to succeed Henry Schacht as Chief Executive Officer.

AOL Time Warner
(
AOL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
is prepared
to announce that it will buy Bertelsmann’s stake in AOL Europe for $6.75
billion.

SangStat Medical
(
SANG |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
said it
expects to be profitable for Q4, citing a 50% rise in revenues and streamlining
control expenses.

Imclone
(
IMCL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
was downgraded by
JP Morgan from Buy to Market Peform.

Lehman Brothers had cautious comments
on Apple Computer
(
AAPL |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
citing the recent run up in price prior to today’s
Mac World conference.

Compaq Computers
(
CPQ |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
was
upgraded to Strong Buy from Buy by Lehman Brothers citing better than expected
Q4 results.

Goldman Sachs upgraded BEA Systems
(
BEAS |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

from Market Outperform to Recommended List.

Prudential Securities upgraded Gilead
Sciences
(
GILD |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
from Hold to Buy saying the company’s growth outlook is
solid.

Charles Schwab
(
SCH |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)
was
downgraded by Bear Stearns from Buy to Attractive due to valuations.

Lehman Brothers upgraded Amgen
(
AMGN |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

from Buy to Strong Buy saying that AMGN is undervalued in comparison to the
group. The firm raised its price target on AMGN from $79 to $87 a share.

JP Morgan downgraded Coca-Cola
(
KO |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

from Long Term Buy to Market Perform saying its feels that expectations for the
company are too high citing macro-economic headwinds.

ABN Amro upgraded Microsoft
(
MSFT |
Quote |
Chart |
News |
PowerRating)

from Add to Buy.

Â