Kroger, Albertsons merger temporarily halted by US judge.

A US judge has temporarily halted the $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons, two retail giants. The judge canceled a preliminary hearing and granted an injunction to halt the transaction. Instead, a two-week trial on the proposed merger will begin on September 30th. The merger has faced opposition from the US Federal Trade Commission and a group of US Attorneys General, who argue that it would harm staff and customers. The deal has also raised concerns about increasing grocery prices, job cuts, and store closures. [Extracted from the article]