ALBAWABA – Global dividends paid by the world's biggest listed companies to shareholders around the world soared to a record high in the second quarter of the year, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Wednesday.
Pay-outs to shareholders are also expected to grow further despite the global economic uncertainty, according to a report by asset management firm Janus Henderson.
So far, global dividends paid by the 1,200 biggest public companies worldwide reached an unprecedented $568.1 billion.
Compared to the same duration, April through June last year, global dividends paid increased by 4.9 percent, as reported by AFP.
Global dividends by the world's top 1,200 publically listed companies reached record high - Shutterstock
Banks accounted for half of the world's dividend growth as their margins were boosted by interest rate hikes, the report said, according to the France-based news agency.
Automakers represented one-seventh of the increase, as Firms in Europe, excluding Britain, led the pack, with pay-outs rising by 9.7 percent to $184.5 billion.
Dividends paid by North American companies also increased to $165.3 billion, compared to the same duration in 2022, up a 4.2 percent.
Swiss food giant Nestle was the top global dividends distributor, followed by British bank HSBC and German automaker Mercedes-Benz.
