News in brief

Retailer picks firm

as grocery deliverer

Walmart Inc. has selected DoorDash Inc. to handle grocery deliveries in the Atlanta metro area, continuing efforts to offer the service to 800 U.S. stores by the end of the year.

The partnership is the second Walmart has announced this month with a grocery delivery service. The company said it was working with Postmates on grocery deliveries in Charlotte, N.C., with plans to expand the partnership to additional markets over the next several months.

Walmart said its agreement with DoorDash could be extended to additional markets. Walmart's personal shoppers will prepare grocery orders made online, and those orders will be delivered by DoorDash. Orders carry a $9.95 delivery fee and must be a minimum of $30.

The partnership with Walmart moves DoorDash's services beyond meal deliveries from restaurants for the first time, according to DoorDash Chief Operating Officer Christopher Payne.

-- Robbie Neiswanger

Walmart, Google join

for work-skills effort

Walmart Inc. and Google are making a joint investment of $5 million to organizations that help American workers develop new skills to adapt to changes in the workplace.

The companies announced the collaborative effort Tuesday in efforts to "better prepare American workers -- from students to seniors -- to find work and advance their careers."

The money will go to The Drucker Institute, Opportunity@Work and the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy.

The Drucker Institute is working with the mayor of South Bend, Ind., to integrate the city's educational and workforce resources so every resident has access to skill-building opportunities. Opportunity@Work is helping groups connect to jobs and advancement opportunities. The MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy plans to expand its Inclusive Innovation Challenge, a competition that promotes the use of technology to create economic opportunity.

-- Robbie Neiswanger

State index closes

with a loss of 1.34

The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, fell 1.34 to 401.92 Tuesday.

"Stocks fell sharply Tuesday because of concerns over a few high profile companies warning of higher costs combined with the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield running through the 3 percent level for the first time in four years," said Chris Harkins, managing director with Raymond James & Associates in Little Rock.

Total volume for the index was 19.9 million shares.

The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.

Business on 04/25/2018

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