Alibaba, JD set new records to rack up record $115 billion of sales on Singles Day at CNBC. "Alibaba said its total gross merchandise value over the 11-day period totaled 498.2 billion yuan...nearly double last year’s 268.4 billion yuan...JD.com’s transaction volume over the same period totaling 271.5 billion yuan ($40.97 billion), more than the 204.4 billion yuan it recorded in 2019." Read more   Walmart Launches New Pet Care Services "...will also include new pet sitting and dog walking services through Rover...Walmart customers will receive a $20 Walmart gift card for their first completed service and another $20 Walmart [...]

  Alibaba boasts over $70 billion sales as first post-virus Singles' Day nears end at Reuters. "The world’s biggest sales event - eclipsing Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States - spans four main days this year, and so far has brought sellers 20 times as many orders by value than Amazon.com Inc’s two-day global Prime Day last month." Read more   ...overshadowed by 10% stock plunge as China proposes new regulation at CNBC. "Beijing released draft rules on Tuesday that, for the first time, defines what constitutes anti-competitive behavior." Read more   ...China Targets Alibaba, Other Homegrown [...]

  Walmart partners with GM's Cruise on self-driving delivery pilot in AZ at Reuters. "Cruise has been testing its self-driving vehicles for several years in San Francisco, as well as Phoenix. In addition to robotaxis, it has provided automated grocery delivery services to residents in San Francisco." Read more   Lowe's says not in talks to buy HD Supply at Reuters. "Bloomberg News first reported the discussion, citing people familiar with the matter. The news sent shares of HD Supply surging 17% after the bell, while those of Lowe’s gained 1%." Read more   China gears up for world’s largest [...]

  Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is looking 90% effective at AP. "Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top-infectious disease expert, said the results suggesting 90% effectiveness are “just extraordinary,” adding: “Not very many people expected it would be as high as that.” Read more   ...Behind Pfizer's vaccine, an understated husband-and-wife "dream team" at Reuters. "The market value of Nasdaq-listed BioNTech, which the pair co-founded, had ballooned to $21 billion as of Friday’s close from $4.6 billion a year ago, with the firm set to play a major role in mass immunization against the coronavirus. “Despite his achievements, he never changed from [...]

  Walmart to sell Argentina retail operations at Reuters. "Walmart Inc said on Friday it would sell its retail operations in Argentina to supermarket chain owners Grupo de Narváez. The company did not disclose the size of the deal." Read more   CVS Health reported a better-than-expected 3.5% jump in Q3 revenue at CNBC. "Prescriptions filled increased 4.6% on a 30-day equivalent basis in the quarter compared with the prior year. Front store revenues increase 2.7% in the quarter compared with the prior year." Read more   ...CVS names female CEO at CNN. "Karen Lynch will be elevated to CEO, making [...]

  Costco October comp sales +14.4% / Ecom +91.1% Press release   Election uncertainty taking toll on online shopping at NY Post. "Spending on Election Day typically dips compared to the rest of the holiday shopping season. Online sales were down 14 percent the day after the 2016 election, and they dropped 6 percent the day after the 2018 mid-term election. But this year, prolonged uncertainty about the presidential voting tally could prolong the decline, Adobe said, estimating that online retail sales could drop by $300 million on Thursday alone." Read more   Pet Valu will wind down operations and close [...]

  Walmart ends contract with robotics company, opts for human workers instead at CNBC. "The report, which cited unnamed people familiar with the situation, said Walmart recently cut ties with Bossa Nova Robotics. A Walmart spokesperson told the Journal that about 500 robots were in Walmart’s more than 4,700 stores when the contract ended." Read more   ...Walmart ended the partnership because it found different, sometimes simpler solutions that proved just as useful...In addition, Walmart U.S. chief executive John Furner has concerns about how shoppers react to seeing a robot working in a store at Wall Street Journal. Subs.   [...]

  Walmart brings back gun displays day after ordering them hidden at NY Post. "After civil unrest earlier this week resulted in damage to several of our stores … we asked stores to move firearms and ammunition from the sales floor,” the company said in a statement. “As the current incidents have remained geographically isolated, we have made the decision to begin returning these products to the sales floor today,” the company said." Read more   America’s malls under pressure: CBL, Pennsylvania REIT, file for bankruptcy at CNBC. "CBL operates 107 properties, totaling 66.7 million square feet across 26 states, including [...]