{"id":58627,"date":"2026-02-17T01:08:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T05:08:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/sams-club-defies-china-retail-slump-as-japans-service-sector-falters\/58627\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T01:08:29","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T05:08:29","slug":"sams-club-defies-china-retail-slump-as-japans-service-sector-falters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/sams-club-defies-china-retail-slump-as-japans-service-sector-falters\/58627\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam\u2019s Club Defies China Retail Slump as Japan\u2019s Service Sector Falters"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Walmart (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMT\">WMT<\/a>)&#39;s Sam\u2019s Club is accelerating its China expansion, targeting over 60 stores by the end of 2026 after opening 10 new locations in 2025.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Japan\u2019s Tertiary Industry Index fell 0.5% in December, more than double the estimated 0.2% decline, signaling deepening weakness in the domestic service sector.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The USD\/JPY pair slid 0.3% to 153.01 as the Yen strengthened despite the soft economic data, supported by shifting political sentiment in Tokyo.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sam\u2019s Club has successfully localized its supply chain and instant-delivery services, helping it reach a revenue milestone of 1 trillion RMB.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Sam\u2019s Club Cracks the China Market Formula<\/h2>\n<p>While many foreign retailers are scaling back or exiting China entirely, <strong>Walmart (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMT\">WMT<\/a>)<\/strong> is finding significant success through its <strong>Sam\u2019s Club<\/strong> warehouse model. The retailer opened <strong>10 new stores in 2025<\/strong>, pushing its footprint into smaller &quot;county-level&quot; cities like <strong>Zhangjiagang<\/strong> and <strong>Yangzhou<\/strong> to capture a growing middle-class demographic.<\/p>\n<p>The success is attributed to a &quot;membership-only&quot; strategy that prioritizes high-quality, bulk items and a robust digital infrastructure. <strong>Walmart (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMT\">WMT<\/a>)<\/strong> reported that its total sales in China jumped nearly <strong>22% to $6.1 billion<\/strong> in the third quarter, making it the company\u2019s fastest-growing international market. Competitors like <strong>Costco (<a href=\"\/stock\/COST\">COST<\/a>)<\/strong> are also vying for market share, but Sam&#39;s Club currently leads with over <strong>56 active clubs<\/strong> and nearly <strong>9 million paid members<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2>Japan\u2019s Service Sector Faces Unexpected Contraction<\/h2>\n<p>Economic data released Tuesday showed that Japan\u2019s service sector is struggling to maintain momentum. The <strong>Tertiary Industry Index<\/strong> for December dropped <strong>0.5% month-on-month<\/strong>, a sharper decline than the <strong>0.2%<\/strong> contraction predicted by economists. This follows a downwardly revised <strong>0.4%<\/strong> drop in the previous month, suggesting a persistent cooling in domestic demand.<\/p>\n<p>The index, which tracks activity in sectors such as wholesale trade, retail, and finance, is a critical gauge of Japan&#39;s economic health. <em>Analysts noted that the weakness in wholesale and business-related services is offsetting gains in the tourism and information sectors.<\/em> This data may complicate the <strong>Bank of Japan\u2019s<\/strong> path toward further interest rate normalization if domestic consumption remains fragile.<\/p>\n<h2>Yen Strengthens as USD\/JPY Tests 153.01<\/h2>\n<p>Despite the disappointing economic data from Japan, the <strong>USD\/JPY<\/strong> pair fell <strong>0.3%<\/strong> to trade at <strong>153.01<\/strong> during the Asian session. The Yen&#39;s resilience is largely attributed to investor reactions following the recent election victory of <strong>Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi<\/strong>. <em>Markets are currently betting that the new administration may adopt more fiscally responsible policies, which has provided a floor for the Japanese currency.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Volatility in the pair remains high as traders look ahead to upcoming <strong>U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI)<\/strong> data. While the Yen has traditionally acted as a safe-haven asset, its recent movements have been more closely tied to interest rate differentials and verbal interventions from Tokyo. <em>Short-term support for the pair is currently pegged near the 152.32 level, with resistance holding at 153.55.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Walmart (WMT)&#39;s Sam\u2019s Club is accelerating its China expansion, targeting over 60 stores by the end of 2026 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