Attorneys for Kroger and Albertsons insisted the deal would boost competition by strengthening both companies as a unified company, repeated company promises to lower grocery pric

Wall Street analysts investors are indicating what they expect to happen to Fry's Food Stores parent Kroger Co.'s planned $24.6 billion acquisition of rival Albertsons Cos. Inc. — the owner of Safeway stores in the Valley — now that closing arguments have wrapped up in the grocers' court battle with the Federal Trade Commission over the deal.

Closing arguments are coming up in the Federal Trade Commission's attempt to block the proposed merger of supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons.

A decision on the proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons could be coming soon as the Federal Trade Commission hopes to get an injunction.

Analysts and the stock market are weighing in on what they expect to happen as closing arguments have wrapped up in Kroger Co.’s court battle with the Federal Trade Commission s