Macro Briefing: 24 February 2023

* Ukraine leader vows to push on for victory on anniversary of Russia’s invasion
* Amid questions of neutrality, China calls for ceasefire in Russia-Ukraine war
* China’s online retail spending rebound after lockdown is modest, reports Alibaba
* US regulators warn banks of liquidity risks with crypto-related deposits
* Demand is up for dividend-paying stocks as interest rates rise
* Retirement account balances down nearly 25% last year, Fidelity reports
* US jobless claims tick lower and continue to indicate tight labor market
* US GDP growth for Q4 revised down to 2.7% annual rate
* US economic activity rebounds in January, rising at strongest pace in six months:

Federal Reserve rate hikes create challenges for municipal bond market. “You had demand getting a little bit slower with supply picking up at the same time. That put some pressure on the market,” says Daniel Solender, partner and director at investment firm Lord Abbett.