=+As the largest company in the world, with more than a million employees worldwide and nearly $320 billion in sales in a recent year, Wal-Mart has become big and powerful enough to influence the U.S. economy. It is responsible for 10 percent of total U.S.

imports from China and for about 12 percent of U.S. productivity gains since the late 1990s. Some observers believe Wal-Mart is also responsible for the low U.S. inflation rates of recent years.

However, its unbeatable buying power and efficiency have forced many local stores to close when Wal-Mart opens a new store in their area.