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Alibaba Seals $38 Billion Singles’ Day Sales Record

  • Taylor Swift performs at world’s largest sales event
  • The ritual has become an indicator of Chinese consumer health
Alibaba’s Singles Day Off to Roaring Start Despite China Slowdown
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Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. logged more than 268 billion yuan ($38.3 billion) of purchases during its Singles’ Day bonanza, exceeding last year’s record haul after a 24-hour shopping marathon.

An estimated half-billion shoppers from China to Russia and Argentina swarmed the e-commerce giant’s sites to scoop up everything from Apple Inc. and Xiaomi Corp. gadgets to Ugandan mangoes. The company again hosted a televised entertainment revue in Shanghai to run alongside the bargain-hunting, this time enlisting Taylor Swift and Asian pop icon G.E.M. to pump up sales.