Walmart extended its streak of strong quarterly gains heading into the holiday season as its low-prices continue to attract shoppers looking for deals in a tough economic environment.

Walmart reported strong first-quarter sales results as the nation’s largest retailer’s low-prices continue to draw budget conscious consumers in a challenging economic environment of stubbornly high inflation.

Retailers are scoring one win in the governmentwide spending bill.

Walmart reported higher sales in the fiscal third quarter as more Americans seek to cut spending in face of high inflation.

Walmart has reported better-than-expected second quarter results.

Walmart is lowering its profit outlook for its fiscal second quarter and for the full year.

Pay for CEOs who run the biggest U.S. companies soared 17.1% last year, up to a median of $14.5 million.

Walmart is requiring that all workers at its headquarters as well as managers who travel within the U.S. be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4.

At Walmart, sales of teeth whitener are popping as customers take their masks off.

Walmart raised its annual earnings forecast on Tuesday after delivering better-than-expected results in the first quarter that showed shoppers, flush with U.S. stimulus payments, splurged on clothing, as well as lawn and garden items.

“These are investments in people that are important to our future,” said Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon. With the latest pay increase, about 730,000 of Walmart’s employees will make at least $15 an hour. Walmart said its starting wage will stay at $11 an hour. President Joe Biden included a $15 federal minimum wage in his $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal last month. The legislation calls for the minimum wage to increase to $15 an hour by 2025.

The popular short-form video app TikTok, still under U.S. government scrutiny for its Chinese ownership, is moving closer to becoming a marketplace for buying stuff. Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify said Tuesday it's made a deal with TikTok enabling merchants to create “shoppable” video ads that drive customers to online stores. The partnership was announced Tuesday amid stalled negotiations for Walmart to buy a 7.5% stake in the video app. Then, video ads will be automatically generated that could show up in a TikTok user’s video feed and drive customers to Shopify for checkout. Walmart and Shopify are on good terms, having teamed up against Amazon in June on a deal that enables Shopify’s small businesses to get listed on Walmart.com.

The "Amazon Employees for Climate Justice" collective said in a statement Thursday that while the company's "Climate Pledge" is a win it's not enough. Investors managing assets worth $35 trillion this week urged companies and governments to act with the "utmost urgency" to combat climate change. Why it matters: The appointment comes at an inflection point for both Business Roundtable and Walmart. He committed to "keeping Business Roundtable CEOs at the forefront of constructive public policy debates." Business Roundtable said last month that America's corporations are responsible for improving society by serving all stakeholders ethically, morally and fairly.

Michael Cary/CNN(CNN) - Walmart CEO Doug McMillon on Thursday was named the incoming chairman of Business Roundtable, the prominent group of 192 chief executives representing corporate America's interests in Washington. McMillon, a Walmart lifer who became the company's chief executive in 2014, will serve a two-year term as Business Roundtable's leader beginning in January. He committed to "keeping Business Roundtable CEOs at the forefront of constructive public policy debates." The appointment of McMillon comes at an inflection point for both Business Roundtable and Walmart, the country's largest retailer and private employer. Last month, Business Roundtable said that America's corporations are responsible for improving society by serving all stakeholders ethically, morally and fairly.

Oli Scarff/Getty Images(CNN) - In a signed letter, 145 business leaders are demanding that the U.S. government take action on gun violence. Their plea, which follows the recent rash of mass shootings, is among Corporate America's strongest statements yet against America's gun violence epidemic. In a draft letter addressed to the Senate, the leaders demand that lawmakers "support common-sense gun laws" already passed by the House and that "doing nothing about America's gun violence crisis is simply unacceptable." The business leaders say the proposals outlined in their letter are "bipartisan" and "widely supported by the American public." The letter also cites Chicago and Brooklyn, which are two communities where pockets suffer from gun violence.

Scott Olson/Getty Images(CNN) - Walmart is taking down displays of violent video games in its stores in the wake of recent shootings. But the company plans to still sell the controversial video games -- and guns. Walmart has previously promoted violent video games in its stores with displays that let customers play the games. Although some public officials, including President Donald Trump, have pointed to violent video games as a cause of the rise in gun violence, numerous studies have found no link between the games and actual violent behavior. Walmart does not sell assault-style rifles, nor does it sell handguns outside of Alaska.

A woman touches a cross at a makeshift memorial for victims outside Walmart, near the scene of a mass shooting on Aug. 3 which left at least 22 people dead, on Aug. 6, 2019, in El Paso, Texas. (CNN) - Walmart CEO Doug McMillon says the company will respond in a "thoughtful and deliberate" way to the recent fatal shootings at its stores. McMillon said he was in El Paso Tuesday meeting with employees and with first responders. He said the store manager in El Paso was leaving the store and ran back in when he heard the shots. "Our store in El Paso is well known as a tight-knit community hub for people in the region, where we serve customers from both sides of the border."