Even though we are "officially" in a bear market, companies are continuing to increase their dividends. Stockpickr.com has reviewed the stocks with dividend announcements last week and compiled a portfolio of the dividend raisers for the week.

One of the stocks with the largest dividend increase is American Ecology (ECOL), which provides waste management services for hazardous, radioactive, PCB and industrial waste. The company increased its quarterly dividend by 20% to 18 cents per share. American Ecology was just ranked No. 63 on Fortune magazine’s small business list of the 100 fastest-growing companies. The stock has a P/E of 26, a PEG of 1.16 and a yield of 2.5%.

American Ecology is owned by the Pacific Advisors Small Cap Fund, a Morningstar-rated three-star fund managed by George Henning. The fund has had an average annual return of 36.68% for the last five years. The fund also owns Terra Industries (TRA), with a 0.9% yield; Commercial Metals (CMC), with a 1.5% yield; and Chattem (CHTT), which does not pay a dividend.

Another dividend-raiser is Spectra Energy (SE), the natural gas pipeline, transportation and storage company. The company raised its quarterly dividend by 8.7% to 25 cents per share. Coverage was just initiated on the company by UBS, which gave it a buy rating. The stock has a P/E of 16, a PEG of 1.8 and a yield of 3.6%.

Spectra Energy is owned by the TIAA-CREF Institutional Mid-Cap Value Index Fund, a five-star-rated fund managed by Anne Sapp. The fund has had an average annual return of 13.7% over the last five years. The fund also owns American Electric Power (AEP), which yields 4.1%; Edison International (EIX), which yields 2.4%; and Xerox (XRX), which yields 1.3%.

United Bankshares (USBI) also increased its dividend, boosting it by 4% to 29 cents per share. This Charleston, W.V., banking company was recently added to Dow Jones Select Dividend Index.

For the rest of the list, check out the Dividend-Increasers for the Week portfolio at Stockpickr.com.