Payouts to rise to $1.64tn in 2023 boosted by special bonuses from likes of Ford and VW.

Dividends issued in the first quarter by the world’s largest listed companies hit a record this year, even as prominent investors and asset managers warn of a coming global economic slowdown. The world’s 1,200 biggest public companies collectively issued $326.7bn in dividends in the first quarter of 2023, a rise of 12 per cent on the same period a year ago, according to a quarterly report from fund manager Janus Henderson. Payouts to shareholders were boosted by the largest contribution in nine years from special dividends, as companies such as carmakers Ford and Volkswagen made one-off contributions. Click here to read full article