Wal-Mart de Mexico (Walmex) said it plans to invest 10.8 bln Mexican pesos (US$987mn/€757mn) in 2007. The investment is for expansion of its chain and improvement of its services, Walmex's president Eduardo Solorzano said. This year Walmex plans to open 125 new stores and between 10 and 12 banking units.

From these stores, 58 will be discount stores Bodega Aurrera, 15 will be discount mega-stores Wal-Mart Supercenter, 11 will be apparel stores Suburbias, five will be self-service wholesale stores Sam's Club, four will be supermarkets Superama and 32 will be restaurants. Currently the chain has 893 units.

According to ther Latin American news agency All Data Processing, the expansion of Wal-Mart's banking operations will help the company to better benefit from the rising consumer demand in the country. These services improve the access to financing of its Walmex's customers, who also benefit from the rising personal income in the country. In order to reduce its costs Walmex also plans to set up its own electricity plants and infrastructure next to its facilities.