9: Luxury Retail

Recessions don't affect everybody. According to Newsweek, the total number of worldwide billionaires jumped 20 percent in 2008 [source: Theil]. Many of these über-rich live in Russia, the Middle East and Asia and have no problem splurging for a jumbo private jet or their very own sun-soaked island in the Mediterranean.

The number of millionaires in India grew 22 percent over 2007-2008 and the ranks of "high net worth" individuals in China are expected to swell by 30 percent over the next five years [sources: Smith and Thottam].

Despite the recession, these nouveau rich still snatch up designer handbags and accessories at stores like Prada and Hermés, which reported a 66 percent and 13 percent rise in profits, respectively in 2008 [source: Newsweek].

Luxury stores that suffer during recessions are the ones who cater to the aspirational rich, people with modest incomes who like the feel of status-symbol brands. That's why stores like Nordstrom and Saks saw dismal sales in the first quarter of 2009 [source: Reeves].