Wal-Mart owned Chilean retailer D&S has revealed that it is set to invest US$150m-US$200m in 2009 in opening 66 new stores, some of which will be built and some which will be rented.

However, Reuters reported that the group is still deliberating over plans to enter the Peruvian market this year, according to group chairman Felipe Ibanez.

'Peru is something we are studying at the moment,' Mr Ibanez told reporters after a shareholder meeting in Santiago.

Wal-Mart now owns 73 per cent of the group after initially purchasing 58.2 per cent of shares in January this year.

The news comes just days after rival retailer Cencosud announced that it would be investing US$200m in expansion across its markets in Chile and Colombia.