Walmart has 'worst sales start to a month in seven years'

Walmart has reportedly had the worst sales start to a month in seven years, according to a leaked internal email obtained by Bloomberg.

The email, from the company’s vice-president of finance and logistics Jerry Murray, reported that month-to-date sales were “a total disaster”.

Possible reasons for the poor performance from the retailer were an increase in payroll taxes and delayed payments of tax rebates curbing consumers’ spending.