RENEE MONTAGNE, Host: NPR's business news starts with a Wal-Mart deal in South Africa.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, Host: Wal-Mart had wanted to buy the entire company, but scaled back its offer for Massmart to a controlling 51 percent stake. The deal has raised concerns among South Africa's powerful labor unions, who are worried about what they see as Wal-Mart's anti-union policies.
Wal-Mart has offered more than $2 billion for South African retailer Massmart, which operates in 14 African countries. The deal is part of Wal-Mart's strategy to expand in what it believes to be high growth areas, as sales in the U.S. slow down.