* Fed’s Lael Brainard to tell Congress that cutting inflation is top priority
* Seek out companies with strong pricing power as inflation hedge, advises analyst
* US economy grew at modest pace in closing weeks of 2021: Fed Beige Book
* Russia is cause for Europe’s worsening natural gas crisis, IEA charges
* Grocery-store shortages are back, due to several causes
* Firms’ year-ahead inflation expectations steady in January at 3.4% (avg)
* Oil rally expected to continue in 2022, analysts predict
* US consumer inflation accelerated to 7% in December, a 40-year high: