Premarket Roundup: Health Care Services, Ashland

Among the premarket stories for Monday, August 24, from AP Financial News:

NEW YORK (AP) — Health care service companies, including pharmacy benefits managers, could rise this week as investors grow skeptical about health care reform, an analyst said Monday.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Ashland Inc. will likely benefit from greater profitability at its Valvoline motor oil division, faster cost savings and earnings growth at its Hercules business, an analyst said Monday as he upgraded the chemical maker.

NEW YORK (AP) — An analyst said Monday that she prefers stocks of companies such as Panera Bread Co., Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. and Starbucks Corp. because they are benefiting from a strengthening upper-middle-class consumer.

NEW YORK (AP) — Auto parts suppliers, more than 40 of which recently filed for bankruptcy court protection, are getting higher prices for their goods and finding financing easier to come by, an analyst said Monday.