Global dividends on track to hit pre-Covid levels as Q2 payouts soar

Janus Henderson's latest Global Dividend Index

Global dividends jumped by 26.3% year-on-year on a headline basis, recovering to $471.7bn, with analysts predicting dividend payouts will return to pre-pandemic highs in the next 12 months.

According to the Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index, a strong dividend recovery is underway with payouts from companies restarting payments reaching $33.3bn, which contributed three-quarters of underlying growth in Q2. The global total of $471.7bn was boosted by delayed 2020 dividend payments returning to their normal timetable, but also by higher special dividends and positive exchange-rate effects.  There was, however, enormous divergence from region to region. Payouts were up 66.4% in Europe and 60.9% in the UK, but just 0.4% in Japan and 5.0% in North America. BoE removes divid...