Fuel for the Recovery: A Closer Look at Sector-Driven Economic Growth

With the possible bottom of the economic crisis upon us, many economists and investors are wondering which sector or sectors will carry the US out of the recession and leap to the forefront of an economic recovery.  Guessing correctly could pay off big in the next few years and possibly for a decade or two to come.  Here's a past look at what sectors have really driven the US economy out of slowdowns and recessions in the past.

In the 1950's, President Eisenhower decided to start work on a project that is still going on today, the building of the highway infrastructure.  This infrastructure has helped immensely in carrying goods and people from place to place more efficiently and effectively.  It's become a national treasure and priceless US asset.  The US highway system also paved the way (no pun intended) for the US auto industry to flourish.  People were now able to travel more cheaply and easily by car, and the idea of every family owning an automobile was born.  Unfortunately, this massive buildup of fossil-fuel burning technology also fueled the rise of the influence of oil, which is still felt today.

The 1980's were a decade where technological advances like personal computers and communication devices like cellular phones were key drivers of the US economy.  Starting in the 1980's, people began to be able envision new uses for developing technology and the economy was boosted after the recession that swept in the early 1980's.

In the 1990's, internet startup and computer-related technologies grew even faster.  This sector helped to carry the stock market to new heights and fueled a huge rise in the personal computer sector and communications sector.  Unlike the 1980's, investors had more access to the markets, and people began to use their new technology to invest, trade, and speculate in new ways.  The day trader was born in the 1990's, allowing anyone with internet access the ability to trade stocks and other investments.  The internet boom ceased after the bubble burst in 1999, but much of what we see and know today in the technology landscape has its foundations in this decade.

The 2000's were a decade where the economy was motivated by housing.  At no other time in US history did home values and prices grow more quickly than from 2000 to 2006.  People were flipping houses for a profit and not looking back.  Many industries benefited from this housing boom, and many have also suffered recently as home values have fallen and foreclosures become a more common occurrence.  The housing bubble also created a market for large-scale lending, some of which was predatory in nature.  Millions are now caught in bad loans because of this housing bubble, and it will be some time before the industry recovers and the credit markets are once again friendly.

As far as the 2010's go, no one is really sure what sector or multiple sectors will really help to dig the US out of its current economic hole.  Many people are leaning toward green energy technologies as the answer to this question.  If the US does go green in the next ten years, it will most likely do so on a very large scale.  As companies realize both the economic and environmental benefit of doing so, they will begin to build their customer base by showing the world that it is possible to be both economically and environmentally sustainable.  It's the multi billion dollar question, but figuring out where to invest for the mid to long-term might just pay off for the average investor.