People in Peru's Cusco city on Tuesday celebrated the Inti Raymi, or Festival of the Sun, showcasing vibrant traditions that honor one of the Andes region's cherished rituals.
Inti Raymi is an ancient Inca religious celebration held in Cusco, where the Incas worshiped their god, the Sun, or "Inti." They considered themselves the Sun's children, viewing sunlight as a source of life, abundance, and unity.
Thousands of people including overseas visitors, start the day by making their way to the Plaza de Armas de Cusco in the heart of the city's historic center, which has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
Accompanied by a band of drummers and panpipes, hundreds of performers in an array of traditional costumes danced their way into the open space, telling the glorious story of the Andes Plateau.
"Cusco is the historical capital of the country. We are the inheritors. It is the birthplace of Inca civilization. By dancing and wearing traditional costumes, we celebrate this festival and show the culture of Cusco to all domestic and foreign tourists," said Maryory Rios, an alderman of Cusco.
The annual festival also drew tourists from around the globe, eager to witness its vibrant traditions and cultural spectacle.
"It was very beautiful. It's an important event for Peru and for Cusco. I'm excited to see deep feelings for the spirit of Incas," said an Italian tourist.
Peru's ancient city comes alive with vibrant Inca sun festival celebrations
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
