Walmart

Walmart has publicly committed that it will not use customer data to set personalized prices, saying bluntly 'We won't do it.' The pledge comes as major retailers face growing scrutiny over how they harvest shopper data, including concerns that companies could charge different customers different prices based on their purchasing habits and profiles.

Walmart says neither the company nor its AI shopping assistant uses customers' personal information to set prices, pushing back on concerns about personalized or surveillance-based pricing at the retail giant. The statement comes amid growing scrutiny of how retailers deploy AI tools and shopper data. It remains unclear whether regulators or consumer groups are investigating the practice.

Attention is turning to the beauty category as a potential growth battleground between Walmart and Ulta Beauty. The question is whether the discount giant's expanding beauty offering threatens the specialty retailer's foothold, as both companies chase a category that has been one of the most resilient parts of retail spending and increasingly competitive among major chains.

Amazon is committing roughly US$3 billion to quick commerce, betting on ultra-fast delivery of groceries and everyday goods. Analysts are questioning what the investment will actually secure in a fiercely competitive market already crowded with players like Instacart, DoorDash, Gopuff and Walmart. The move signals Amazon's intent to deepen its same-day delivery push in the US, though returns remain unproven.

Retail traders rotated into defensive consumer staples this week, with Costco, Dollar General and Walmart leading weekly gains in the sector. The move signals growing appetite for safer, defensive bets as investors weigh economic uncertainty. Stocktwits' retail coverage highlighted the shift, noting staples outperforming more cyclical names as cautious positioning takes hold among small traders.

The Walmart NW Arkansas Championship on the LPGA tour has wrapped up its final round, with full third-round and final scores now being reported. Japanese golf fans are closely following where Japanese women players, including Mao Saigo, finished in the standings, and discussion is focusing on which players ended up at the top of the leaderboard.