US: Walmart posted a fourth-quarter decline in sales as it continued to lose share to rivals. Like-for-like sales fell 1.8% in the 13 weeks to 28 January. International business boosted net sales by 2.5% to $115.6bn (£71.7bn) from $112.8bn in Q4 last year, boosted by a $664m exchange rate benefit.

President and CEO Mike Duke said some pricing and merchandising issues in Walmart "ran deeper than initially expected".

Discount grocery chain and Supervalu subsidiary Save-A-Lot is opening five new stores in Chicago's South Side, almost doubling its presence in the area. The openings bring its operations in the area to 13 and it plans to open stores in five additional locations in greater Chicago by February 2012.

"Chicago has long been a priority market for us," said Save-A-Lot CEO and president Bill Shaner. "These locations are a perfect match with our strategy of bringing affordable grocery and more fresh food options to neighbourhoods with few existing grocery stores."

EGYPT: Makro has reopened its store in Qalioubayia after suffering massive losses in the riots. Makro lost about £1.6m when its store was looted. "Reopening this store is a huge achievement for us," said Makro Egypt MD Francois Oliver. "We remain confident that the Egyptian market will continue to flourish."

DENMARK: Carlsberg blamed a decline in beer volumes in Eastern Europe on Russian excise duties implemented in January to combat alcoholism. Volumes fell 9% in 2010 due to destocking and Q1 price hikes following the 200% excise duty that came into force on 1 January.

"2010 was an extraordinary year due to the substantial excise duty increase in our largest market," said group CEO Jørgen Buhl Rasmussen.

CHINA: The National Development & Reform Commission has fined Walmart and Carrefour a combined £900,000 for deceptive pricing practices at a small number of stores. The commission alleged stores forced consumers to pay higher prices than indicated on tags and inflated the size of discounts by altering original pricing.