"Wal-Mart's influence on the U.S. economy has reached levels not seen by a single company since the 19th-century rise of Standard Oil, economists and historians say. Even if you don't shop at Wal-Mart, the retail powerhouse increasingly is dictating your product choices -- and what you pay -- as its relentless price cutting helps keep inflation low."

Interesting article on just how huge Wal-Mart has become.

Wal-Mart's influence grows