Wal-Mart Pulls Cuban PJs from Canada

The Wal-Mart sleepwear section has become a diplomatic trouble spot following the retailer’s decision to pull Cuban-made pajamas from the shelves of its Canadian stores. Wal-Mart Canada, a subsidiary of the Arkansas-based retail giant, yanked thousands of pairs of the pajamas from all of its 135 Canadian stores last week. The pullout came after shoppers in Winnipeg pointed out that the company would not be able to sell the clothing in the U.S because of the U.S. embargo against Cuba. That triggered an investigation by Canada’s Justice Department, which is looking into whether Wal-Mart violated a Canadian law intended to deter companies from complying with the U.S. embargo. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, said it plans to buy back an additional $2 billion in shares in the next 12 to 18 months. Its shares rose 62.5 cents to close at $27.25 on the New York Stock Exchange.