7 winning industries

Out of all of Morningstar's industry groups, discount stores comprise the sole category that has seen positive returns this year. Stock leader Dollar Tree saw a 6.2% increase in same-store sales last quarter and raised its expectations for the rest of the year, Family Dollar boosted its same-store sales by 2.1%, and Wal-Mart's rose 3.4%. Some investors are skeptical about how long discounters can thrive, but with economists forecasting a dismal 2009, it's likely that these bargain-basements will continue to shine.

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