MEXICO CITY, March 27 (Reuters) - Walmart's Mexico unit

said on Thursday it would invest more than $6

billion in the country this year, around triple its planned

spending from the year before.

The funds will go toward opening new stores and to

continue construction on two distribution centers, according to

the firm.

Mexico City-listed shares climbed more than 2% on the

announcement.

Speaking virtually from Mexican President Claudia

Sheinbaum's daily press conference, Walmex Chief Executive

Officer Ignacio Caride said the investment would create 5,500

direct jobs.

Walmex, which operates Walmart and Sam's Club stores in

Mexico as well as low-cost supermarket chain Bodega Aurrera, is

one of the nation's largest private employers.

The group

had earmarked

just around $2 billion in spending for 2024.

Walmex executives will host an investor's day later on

Thursday in which they will give more detail on planned

spending.