Gazprom shielded from EU probe by Russia, FT says

A decree signed by Russian president Vladimir Putin seeks to protect “strategic” companies, like Gazprom (OGZPY), operating abroad by demanding that foreign organizations requesting information, assets or changes to contracts from those Russian companies must ask permission from Russia's government, according to Financial Times. Gazprom said the decree would block any demands by foreign parties for discounts to contracts and accused the European Commission of using its new anti-trust probe as a lever to force the company to cut prices, FT reported.