NEW YORK - Wal-Mart shoppers got another early Christmas present when the world's largest retailer cut prices on appliances a week after slashing them on electronics, and before that, toys.

Wal-Mart -- worried that holiday sales could be sluggish -- has been aggressively slashing prices in a strategy that many of its rivals seem likely to follow, turning a boon for consumers into what may be a bane for retail profits.

Wal-Mart announced discounts ranging from 7 percent to 17 percent through Christmas on about 50 small home appliances, including microwaves and programmable coffee makers.