Why are share buybacks on the rise?
Global dividend payouts hit a first-quarter record of $339.2 billion in the first three months of the year, according to the Janus Henderson Global Dividend index. UK dividend growth, however, was “relatively pedestrian”, says Andrew Jones of Janus Henderson. Dividends rose 2.4% on an underlying basis to $15.3 billion. Ordinary (ie, not special, one-off payments)…