Ze'ev - CSFB downgrades.... since CSFB instituted their new rating structure, they have had only four neutral-to-underperform downgrades.
Average 1st-day move... -15%
5th-day........ -20%
10th-day....... -31%
As for your experience that downgrades are used to get cheap stock, I must say that I've seen a few instances where that appeared to be the motivation for the downgrade. However, I've developed a database of up/downgrades and the subsequent price changes, and the data indicates that downgrades are, on average, followed by percentage drops greater than the Market.
Hard work often pays off over time,
but laziness always pays off right now.