Green-Backed Ventures Mean More Greenbacks

While soon-to-be brides and grooms are trimming their budgets here and there, providers of recession-friendly wedding accoutrements are thriving.

Iconic Canadian brands have held strong during the recession, seeing expansion into America and partnership with U.S. companies. Part of the key to their success is making consumers relate to their brands.

Thanks in part to today’s tech-savvy youth, the electronics sector is powering forward.

Grocery stores, from nationwide chains to local convenience stores, are reporting resilient sales figures. Whatever the economic conditions, people need to eat.

Positive business and financial news of June 5, 2009: Emerging markets are poised to recover well from the recession.

TiVo and Netflix’s recent performance show how easy access plus affordability means success during the economic downturn.

Although sales of videogames were sluggish during March and April, investors are voicing their confidence in the industry.

Thanks to deft management practices and affordable prices, some restaurant chains are weathering the recession well.

The music industry continues to struggle with creating a viable business model for online music. But recent sales figures suggest digital music holds promise for major labels and up-and-coming acts alike.

The recession has inspired positive holistic change in American society, and what might be bad for business may actually be good for people.

Observers keep saying the economy’s dreary days are coming to an end. Backing up those claims are strong regional bank numbers and Wall Street’s overall rally.

Print media is certainly struggling to find its way at the moment. Yet despite the industry’s troubles, investors see promise within the segment.

Tech and telecoms stocks continue to show recessionary steadfastness, with the latest good news coming from Virgin Mobile and Dish Network. Plus, Microsoft is launching its first-ever bond offering on the back of its top credit rating.

Positive financial news to close out the week: the latest Labor Department data shows fewer first-time applicants for unemployment, retailers posted better-than-expected results for April and more economists are joining the optimism bandwagon.

Federal Reserve Chief Ben Bernanke; Janet Yellen, the head of the San Francisco Fed, and several chief executives—including new media darling JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon—agree: the economy is on track to recovery.

The number of existing home sales went up in March, construction spending is improving and Estee Lauder’s recent quarterly report shows hope for luxury beauty products.

Among May’s first upbeat business stories: the Reuters/University of Michigan Consumer Confidence Index and the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index both see growth; repair shops benefit from tightened budgets.

The month of April closes out with promising U.S. consumer spending figures, better-than-expected performance from Procter & Gamble and Dow Chemical and hope for the global economy, courtesy of China’s stimulus package.