Pre Market Trading, Gap Indications

Gapping up in reaction to strong earnings/guidance: SNP +1.6%...

M&A news: LIFC +16.8% (to be acquired by Kinetic Concepts for $51.00 per share)...

Select solar stocks continue Friday's momentum higher in pre-market trading: ESLR +8.3% (to double plant's size, add 350 jobs - Boston Globe), AKNS +6.6%, LDK +4.7%, STP +4.0%, CSIQ +3.8%, JASO +3.6%, YGE +3.5%, SPWR +3.0%, FSLR +2.5%...

Select financial stocks showing strength: WM +15.0% (to get $5 bln - WSJ), BK +3.9%, CS +3.4%, WB +2.1%, MS +2.1%, C +2.0% (seeks $5 bln for infrastructure fund, people say - Bloomberg.com), DB +1.1%...

Select drybulk shipper names showing strength following positive comments on DRYS in Barron's: DRYS +6.0% (mentioned positively in Barron's), EXM +5.8%, TBSI +4.0%, DSX +3.2%, QMAR +2.8%...

Other news: GHM +5.5% (makes IBD 100 debut at #1), LMC +4.5% (still checking), BGP +3.7% (finalizes improved financing agreement with Pershing Square; lower rate, increased backstop and reduction in the number of warrants), MOS +3.4% (continued momentum from Friday's 10% surge), LSI +3.1% (Intel and LSI collaborate to redefine RAID deployment on Intel-based server and workstation platforms), ABK +3.0% (announces the creation of a team to address issues in the short term municipal markets), IXYS +2.9% (wins a further ruling against IRF in The Court of Appeals), BHP +2.4% (expects 4-5 years of double-digit oil, gas growth - Bloomberg.com), POT +2.2% (Hearing tgt raised to $225 from $180 at tier 1 firm), NWA +2.2% (Delta and Northwest revive merger talks - Financial Times), MSFT +2.0% (MSFT is evaluating its offer for Yahoo! in light of the worsening market conditions), WWE +2.0% (Cramer makes positive comments on MadMoney), EMKR +1.6% (elects new Chairman and CEO), AKS +1.6% (announces increase in spot market prices for its carbon steel products by $150 per ton for all new orders, effective immediately), PCS +1.6% (pre-releases Q108 subscriber results)...

Analyst upgrades: UBS +5.9% (upgraded to Buy at Merrill), FMCN +5.4% (added to Alpha List at Piper Jaffray), SSL +4.8% (added to EMEA1 List at Merrill), AAUK +3.6% (upgraded to Buy at tier 1 firm), X +2.7% (upgraded to Overwt at Morgan Stanley), ITT +2.0% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Merrill), KLAC +1.9% (upgraded to Buy at Citigroup), AAPL +1.6% (upgraded to Overwt at Weisel), SLB +1.2% (initiated with Buy at UBS).

Gapping up: WM +19.0%, LIFC +11.2%, LMC +5.5%, UBS +4.9%, SSL +4.8%, LDK +4.4%, CS +3.2%, POT +3.0%, WWE +2.0%, C +2.0%, EMKR +1.6%, PCS +1.6%, MSFT +1.5%, SGP +1.4%, ABK +1.3%, DB +1.1%...

Gapping down: VIGN -18.5%, YHOO -2.4%, AZN -1.9%, AMAT -1.4%.

Wall St. Warrior: Pre-Market