The world’s largest chemical company is closing a number of its factories, as the era of cheap Russian gas grinds to a halt amid a deterioration in the global economy. BASF SE will cut 2,600 positions, about 2 percent of its global workforce, to save on operational costs, as the European Union’s biggest chemical firm is forced…

Analysis Despite China’s boycott over Western sportswear giants, whose refusal to use Xinjiang cotton has triggered countrywide anger, on March 26, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang paid a special visit to a raw materials supplier for Nike and Adidas in Jiangsu province. One expert said that China was placating the West by “playing good cop” in…