Walmart is closing four stores in Chicago, cutting its footprint in half in the third-largest U.S. city after years of mounting losses. The closings mark a retreat for the nation's largest retailer, which faces tough competition in Chicago from the likes of Target, Albertsons, and Aldi. Walmart said it had tried and failed to improve its performance by building smaller stores, localizing its merchandise offerings, and investing $70 million in recent years on store upgrades.
Union workers at Mack Trucks went on strike Monday after voting down a tentative five-year contract agreement that negotiators had reached with the company.
Claudia Goldin, a Harvard University professor, was awarded the Nobel economics prize on Monday for research that helps explain why women around the world are less likely than men to work and to earn less money when they do.
