Invest in petty vices.

Looking back at which industries had solid gains after the crash of ’29 that set off The Great Depression, the WSJ found that one clear standout were the makers of “cigarettes, cigars and tobacco, sugar and confectionery products, and fats and oils.” While many industries were the tank, the companies in these industries gained between between 1.6% and 7.5% annually (however, the gains weren’t seen until the fourth year after the crash, when the market came back 54%). Even when times are tough, people will still find room to indulge in those cheap fast and dirty gratifications.

1930s Lessons: Brother, Can You Spare a Stock? [WSJ] (Photo: dM.nyc™)

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