Tacoma SDS

U.S. retailers opened their doors at midnight and discounted merchandise as much as 70 percent on the day after Thanksgiving to entice customers during what may be "the worst" holiday shopping season in six years, writes financial news source Bloomberg. Many stores opened at 4:00 am or 5:00 am.

A small group of employees at a Wal-Mart store in Canada secured yesterday the only union contract with the company in North America, a victory for labor groups that have campaigned for years to organize the world's largest retailer.