* Ball Corp., the world’s No. 2...

* Ball Corp., the world’s No. 2 maker of aluminum cans behind France’s Pechiney, said it will close two plants in California as well as two in China and take a fourth-quarter charge of $31 million, as it cuts costs and consolidates production. About 300 jobs, or 2% of the Broomfield, Colo.-based company’s U.S. work force, will be cut by the closing of its plants in Hayward and Rocklin, which are part of the Reynolds Metals Co. beverage can unit Ball purchased in August.