Carrefour says growth markets priority, denies Latam exit

Carrefour's stores in emerging markets remain a priority for the French retailer and there are no plans to put them up for sale, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.
The world's second-biggest retailer behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc has not changed its strategic plans since March, Carrefour said, adding that its strategy had the full backing of its board of directors.
Le Monde newspaper reported earlier on Wednesday that the group was seriously considering selling its Latin American stores in Brazil, Colombia and Argentina under pressure from top shareholders.
Carrefour was expecting two offers, including one from Wal-Mart, the paper said. "Carrefour denies the sale of its businesses in growth markets," the retailer said in a statement in response to the newspaper article.
Analysts value Carrefour's operations in Latin America at between 3.3 billion to 8 billion euros ($4.9-$11.8 billion), according to Le Monde.