President Joe Biden delivered his State of the Union address last week to a joint session of Congress, focusing heavily on the war in Ukraine and rising inflation. Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell appeared before both chambers of Congress, signaling to lawmakers that the Fed will lift interest rates a quarter-percentage point later this month.

For the second straight month, employment numbers beat expectations, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting Friday that employment rose by 678,000 in February.

Office usage is slowly growing as the pandemic fades, but analysts have many questions about the sector’s future.

Prior to Russia’s invasion, 10-Year Treasury yields broke higher -- reaching 2.05% on February 15. Since then, they have fallen to as low as 1.72% but have rebounded somewhat, underscoring both the downside risk and volatility markets are facing.

Good morning and happy Monday! Here’s what’s happening in the real estate finance world this week: