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Empresas y finanzas

Asda says could create 12,000 jobs over 5 years


    LONDON (Reuters) - Asda, the British arm of United States retailer Wal-Mart , could create 12,000 jobs as it expands in Britain over the next five years, it said on Monday.

    The announcement was made by Doug McMillon, Walmart's president and CEO, during a meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron at Asda's Clapham Junction store in south London.

    He was speaking ahead of Wal-Mart's first ever board meeting in the UK.

    Asda, which is battling with J Sainsbury to be Britain's No. 2 grocer by sales behind market leader Tesco , already runs 577 stores in the country.

    It plans to open more superstores, supermarkets, petrol station stores and click-and-collect points, particularly in the south of England where it is relatively under represented compared to rivals.

    Asda said in February it would invest 750 million pounds ($1.3 billion) in 2014 in store openings, extensions and refurbishments.

    (Reporting by James Davey; editing by Paul Sandle)