Global Stocks Diverge on Earnings and Central Banks

Global stock markets diverged on Thursday as investors digested major earnings reports and central bank updates.

The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady, but three policymakers called for a hike to combat rising inflation.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England is expected to keep its benchmark rate unchanged.

In Asia, South Korean stocks continued their decline, with Samsung Electronics posting a 19-fold jump in second-quarter operating profit due to strong demand for memory chips used in AI data centers.

However, the company's share price fell as investors took profits. Other companies outside the tech sector also saw significant share-price movements, including Adidas, which slumped 17% after missing profit expectations.