Global dividends to near pre-pandemic levels in 2021 -report

Global dividends are forecast to rise to $1.39 trillion this year, up slightly from a previous estimate to reflect a stronger than expected recovery in the company payouts, Janus Henderson said in a report published on Monday.
Wall Street banks hike shareholder payouts after Fed gives the green light

Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo said on Monday they were hiking their capital payouts after the U.S. Federal Reserve gave them a clean bill of health following their annual “stress tests” last week.
U.S. Fed bank stress tests pave way for stock buyback, dividend bonanza

The country’s largest lenders are poised to start issuing as much as $130 billion in dividends and stock buybacks from next month after the U.S. Federal Reserve gives them what is expected to be a clean bill of health on Thursday, said analysts.
Canadian regulator lifts banks’ capital buffer to record, priming for post-pandemic world

Canada’s financial regulator raised the amount of capital the country’s biggest lenders must hold to guard against risks to a record 2.5% of risk-weighted assets, from 1% currently, in a surprise move that could pave the way for them to resume dividend increases and share buybacks.
Australian banks, led by CBA, set to return record $15 bln cash to investors

Australia’s big banks are likely to return a record $15 billion or more of cash to investors over the next two years, with investors betting Commonwealth Bank (CBA.AX) will move first and helping drive shares of the top lender to all-time highs.
The little engine that could, and the oil giant that couldn’t

Last December, when a week-old hedge fund named Engine No. 1 challenged Exxon Mobil to change its ways, laughter echoed through Wall Street circles, from the fund’s name that recalled a famous children’s book to its tiny, then-$40 million stake in what was once the world’s largest publicly traded company.
Saudi Aramco beats quarterly profit forecast, maintains dividend

State-run oil producer Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) beat analysts’ forecasts on Tuesday with a 30% rise in first-quarter net profit and maintained its dividend payout, helped by strong oil prices. Earnings by global energy companies such as Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) have climbed on the back of rising crude prices, which are up by about a third this year, as fuel […]