For one, shoppers have made a massive flight to lower prices, which Walmart has more of, as low- and high-income consumers alike protect their pocketbooks. Walmart’s size and cash also give it the advantage in handling e-commerce deliveries more quickly and ensuring that things people want are on the shelves.

Bloomberg journalists discuss today's biggest winners and losers in the stock market. Listen for analysis on the companies making news on Wall Street.

Retailer Walmart Inc. says its second-quarter results were hit by unexpected legal and liability-related issues to the tune of $450 million.

Investors will be closely eyeing Powell's speech in Jackson Hole on Friday to see if the Fed chair hints at a potential rate cut at the central bank's next meeting.

Stocks opened lower Thursday, under pressure after a larger-than-expected rise in first-time unemployment claims and disappointing results from Walmart that saw the retail behemoth and Dow component miss Wall Street profit expectations.

Thursday, however, Walmart's (WMT) second-quarter earnings missed Wall Street estimates, and the shares slid 4.5% to $97.93. The tumble was felt broadly across the stock market. Walmart, which has a market capitalization of about $782 billion,