Notes today: 

• SCOTUS today: Justice Barrett: What is the interest of the GOP in keeping (laws that suppress minority voters) on the books?

  Republican Lawyer: It puts us at a competitive disadvantage relative to Democrats. Politics is a zero-sum game.

• 
  Abbott opening Texas100% - a repeat of last spring. President Joe Biden said Wednesday that moves by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and others to lift statewide Covid restrictions showed "Neanderthal thinking." Neanderthals: Hey, we are all wearing masks!

• When asked about market expectations for earlier rate hikes, Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard said that there is still a lot of ground to cover on jobs and inflation. 

• Petaluma, California - a city of 61,000 residents and 15 square miles in size - has become the first in the country to permanently halt the construction of new gas stations. 

• The ISM Manufacturing PMI rose to 60.8 in February up from 58.7 in January, beating market expectations of 58.8. The strongest expansion in factory activity since February of 2018. 

• MoM Construction spending in the US rose 1.7% 

• In response to Navalny’s continued imprisonment,  the US is catching up with sanctions imposed on Moscow by the EU👍👍 - where  Trump had turned a blind eye. 

• YoY Japans Monetary Base came in at 19.6% below forecasts. 

• The unemployment rate in Japan is 2.9%

• Australia keeps its border shut for another three months.