Global dividend payouts are forecast to rise to new record levels in 2020, according to a new report from financial data firm IHS Markit Ltd.
The firm said that total dividends are expected to come in at $1.9 trillion (all figures U.S. dollars), up by 5.5% from 2019. In 2019, dividend payouts rose by 4.5% year over year.
The banking sector is expected to remain the top source of dividends in 2020. IHS predicted that banks will pay out a total $298.7 billion, up from $281.6 billion in 2019.
Dividend payouts are expected to grow throughout the world, led by a forecast 7.1% increase in the U.S. IHS said that the growth in U.S. dividends will be driven by the tech, energy and healthcare sectors.
For the Asia Pacific region, dividends are forecast to grow by 5.5% in 2020. In Europe, they’re predicted to rise by 3.5%.
“Following the challenging economic and geopolitical landscape of 2019, our estimates suggest that companies are more optimistic this year, as central banks around the world implement monetary stimulus measures to boost sentiment,” said Thomas Matheson, head of dividend research at IHS Markit.