* US Covid-19 cases surge to 1.35 million in a day, a new record
* Pfizer’s omicron vaccine will be ready in March, says CEO
* Fed Chair Powell pledges to control inflation
* Inflation cited as biggest problem since 1981, say small business owners
* Supply of government bonds set to swell in 2022
* N. Korea fires second test missile in six days, says S. Korea
* Bank stocks (KBE) continue to rise as outlook for higher interest rates resonates: