Executive Summary

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” discusses the changes Amazon has made at Whole Foods Market since the acquisition closed on August 28, as well as the changes it is planning to make and the response from other grocers.
• Business advisory firm AlixPartners released its forecast for US retail sales for the upcoming holiday season. The firm anticipates that retailers will see a year-over-year sales increase of 3.5%–4.4% during the November–January period.
• Grocery discounter Aldi reported a 13.5% increase in UK and Ireland sales, to £8.7 billion (US$11.9 billion), for the year ended December 31, 2016. The company noted that it saw unspecified positive comparable sales growth in the year.
• Baidu is putting some serious cash behind its self-driving car push with its announcement of a $1.5 billion fund focused on backing autonomous-driving technology companies. The Chinese giant has prioritized autonomous vehicles in a major way in recent years.