Kroger and Albertsons have made their final argument in federal court in support of their proposed merger.

Washington state is in court to try to block a proposed merger between Albertsons and Kroger.

The chief executive officers of Kroger and Albertsons have insisted that merging would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like Walmart and Amazon.

A lawyer for supermarket chain Albertsons has told a federal judge that the company might have to lay off workers and close stores if its planned merger with Kroger isn’t allowed to proceed.

The largest proposed grocery merger in U.S. history is heading to court.

Two of the biggest grocery chains in the United States had hoped to complete the largest supermarket merger in the country’s history this year.

The Federal Trade Commission is suing to block a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons.

Grocers Kroger and Albertsons are selling more than 400 stores and other assets to C&S Wholesale Grocers in an approximately $1.9 billion deal as part of their efforts to complete their merger.

U.S. senators from both parties have expressed skepticism that a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons will lower prices for consumers.

Two of the nation’s largest grocers have agreed to merge in a deal that would help them better compete with Walmart, Amazon and other major companies that have stepped into the grocery business.

Asian shares mostly rose Wednesday, cheered by the gains on Wall Street as investors welcomed a batch of solid earnings reports from U.S. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)TOKYO – Asian shares mostly rose Wednesday, cheered by the gains on Wall Street as investors welcomed a batch of solid earnings reports from U.S. companies. Asian shares have tracked the moves on Wall Street lately, as much of the region's export-dependent economies depend on robust trade, slammed by the coronavirus pandemic. Technology, communication and financial stocks powered most of the gains on Wall Street. Insurer the Travelers Cos. gained 5.6% after its latest earnings topped Wall Street's estimates, thanks partly to lower-than-expected losses on claims.