Executive Summary

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses the competition among Amazon, Walmart and Alibaba as they expand their businesses in India.
• Grocer Albertsons will buy drugstore chain Rite Aid in a deal that would accelerate the remaking of the US retail and healthcare industries.
• Chanel has taken a minority stake in London-based luxury platform Farfetch as part of a tie-up to develop digital services. Under the deal, Chanel will not sell its products through Farfetch, but will work with the platform on digital innovations linked to customer services.
• Mexico’s biggest retailer, Walmex, reported fourth-quarter net profit and sales growth despite rising inflation last year. The company said its fourth-quarter net profit rose by 1.7% year over year, boosted by same-store sales across Mexico and Central America.