Money Minute: Gas Is Up but Candy Is Dandy

BusinessMoney Minute: Gas Is Up but Candy Is DandyMoney Minute: Gas Is Up but Candy Is DandyThe Associated PressAnalysts at The Nielsen Co. are calling the candy business "recession-proof." AP's Mark Hamrick reports on that and the rest of Monday's top business headlines. (June 23)AP Money MinuteAs bad as the economy may be, it isn't hurting Amercan's sweet tooth. Analysts at The Nielsen Co. are calling the candy business "recession-proof." They note that consumers are cutting back on longer-distance shopping trips to save gas. As a result, they're spending more at drug and convenience stores with big, easy-access candy sections. Then there's the "feel good" factor. Neilsen's vice president says a dollar candy bar is a treat when spending nearly $100 for a tank of gas.----------------And in case you've lost track, those numbers at the pump are about 10 cents higher than two weeks ago. According to the Lundberg Survey, the average price of self-serve regular was $4.10 a gallon on Friday. Mid-grade was $4.22 and premium went for $4.33. The cheapest gas - $3.76 a gallon - was in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Los Angeles and Fresno, California tied for the nation's highest at $4.59 a gallon for regular.-----------------Sports fans will be able to catch up on the Beijing Olympics during their commute this summer. That's the idea behind the NBC Olympics on the Go service. Fans can select which sports they're interested in while connected to the Web, and the program automatically downloads the coverage once it's available. While users can watch the events without being online, they must have Microsoft Windows Vista in order to use the service. I'm Mark Hamrick with AP Money Minute