Chorsu Bazaar, a historic and vibrant market in the heart of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, offers a glimpse into Central Asian trade and culture.
Spanning a striking 350-meter diameter, the dome shelters a vibrant marketplace where vendors are arranged in concentric circles, blending energy with order.
The ground floor sells fresh and prepared foods, while the second floor specializes in dried fruits and spices. Beyond the main dome, six smaller domes and many open-air stalls line the surrounding streets.
Proud of their craft, many bazaar business owners offer high-quality produce, including nuts, dried fruits, walnuts, dried apricots and raisins, which are all key exports to China.
With a history of more than 2,000 years, Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, used to serve as a major transportation hub on the ancient Silk Road that connected the East with the West.
Chorsu is translated as four roads, reflecting its historical position as a crossroads on the ancient Silk Road.
Local market in Uzbekistan offers glimpse into Central Asian trade, culture
U.S. stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, staging a late-session recovery as investors navigated a volatile landscape marked by a criminal probe into the Federal Reserve leadership.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 86.13 points, or 0.17 percent, to 49,590.2. The S&P 500 added 10.99 points, or 0.16 percent, to 6,977.27. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 62.56 points, or 0.26 percent, to 23,733.9. Despite the positive close, the market experienced significant intraday turbulence, with the Dow dropping nearly 500 points at its session lows.
Nine of the 11 primary S&P 500 sectors ended in positive territory. Consumer staples and industrials led the gainers, rising 1.42 percent and 0.75 percent, respectively. Financials and energy were the primary laggards, declining 0.8 percent and 0.66 percent.
Market sentiment was initially shaken by an announcement on Sunday from Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who confirmed that federal prosecutors are investigating him over the Fed's multi-billion-dollar project to renovate its headquarters. Powell characterized the probe as an attempt by the Trump administration to compromise the Fed's independence.
Further weighing on the financial sector was a proposal by U.S. President Donald Trump to cap credit card interest rates at 10 percent for one year, which triggered a sell-off in banking stocks amid concerns over restricted lending and reduced profitability. Capital One shares plummeted 6.42 percent, while Citigroup, JPMorgan and Bank of America also recorded losses.
In contrast, retail giant Walmart led the Dow's advance, climbing 3 percent following news of its upcoming inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Google's Gemini AI to enhance the digital shopping experience.
Investors are awaiting Tuesday's release of the U.S. consumer price index for December 2025. Following last week's cooling labor market data, market participants increasingly expect the Fed to maintain interest rates at their current levels during the upcoming January meeting.
U.S. stocks close higher amid criminal probe into Fed chair Powell
