Weaker Opening

Stocks appeared set to open lower
Friday.

Merrill Lynch upgraded Sicor
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from Accumulate to Near Term Buy.

Banc of America Securities downgraded
AstroPower
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from Buy to Market Perform.

Prudential upgraded Sepracor
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from Sell to Hold, based on the $400 million convertible debt offering.

Morgan Stanley downgraded Jabil
Circuits
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from Outperform to Neutral after an approximate 70% run-up in
the price.

Motorola
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was downgraded by
Morgan Stanley form Outperform to Neutral due to valuation.

Retailer Abercrombie & Fitch
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was downgraded by Prudential Securities from Buy to Hol, on concerns of the
company’s women’s line.

Verizon Communications
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Wireless division filed a registration statement with the SEC for a potential
IPO-form common stock.

Ketchup maker H.J. Heinz
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lowered its Q2 outlook to come in between 59 cents to 60 cents a share, citing
the Sept. 11 attack. Consensus was for 66 cents.

Maxim Pharmaceuticals
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said
Ceplene has shown in pre-clinical trials to protect immune cells usually found in
the liver.

Greg