The end markets for temporary power giant Aggreko (LON:AGK) remain in dire straits, reckons US heavyweight broker Jefferies.
It has cut the target price on the shares to 650p from 720p and rates the firm 'underperform'.
Shares on the day are up 2.15% to 854p.
"Aggreko continues to face a perfect storm in its markets. Power Solutions has high exposure to net oil exporters and commodity heavy economies in emerging markets, which provides uncertainty on pricing, contract retention and wins," says analyst Will Kirkness.
"A supply glut exacerbates the problem while the Rental Solutions business is weighted into a sluggish North America and oil and gas," he adds.
The broker has cut its 2017 EPS forecast to 26% below consensus - a new low.
Standard Life (LON:SL.) reports 2015 results on Friday and Deutsche has cut its 2017 EPS forecasts and target price on the share to 415p from 435p reflecting the market falls so far in 2016.
But the broker still reckons the insurer is good value and well placed to ride out market volatility and rates the stock a 'buy'.
On Paddy Power Betfair (LON:PPB) the same broker also has a 'hold' stance.
Following the completed merger on February 2, it reckons the group is well positioned to continue to win market share and to grow EPS between 15% to 20%+ over the medium term.
"However, while we think the group is well positioned, the group's valuation is approaching fair value and we therefore view the risk-reward as balanced..."
Also in broker world today, HSBC moves recruiter Hays (LON:HAS) to 'buy' from 'hold' and Jefferies downgrades pharma giant Shire's (LON:SHP) target price to 5,150p from 5,600p.
But it still repeated a 'buy' on the shares. Last week the drug group finally succeeded in its bid to merge with US rival Baxalta in a US$32bn deal. It first tried to buy Baxalta last year but had its US$30bn all-share offer rejected on the grounds that it was too low and lacked a cash element. Jefferies said 2016 was likely to be "transformational" and that its pipeline has grown considerably, now with 14 programmes in or near Phase III trials. "Recent progress includes SHP621 for eosinophilic esophagitis, SHP620 maribavir for CMV infections, and importantly the newly acquired next generation HAE drug SHP643 (DX-2930). "Three key upcoming readouts are SHP465 in paediatric ADHD in 1Q to then re-file to treat adults, plus Phase II data for SHP607 in retinopathy of prematurity and SHP610 in SanFilippo A disease," said the broker. In small caps, Sound shares nudged higher today as it started ground works at its Tendrara licence area in Morocco with all contracts in place for its first well. House broker Cantor said today's statement was another encouraging update. Its total net asset value for Sound is 30.9p a share, including 16.7p of core NAV and 14.2p of risked NAV, and it valued Sound’s current Italian production at Rapagnano and Nervesa at 1.5p a share.