Global Dividends Rise 7.3% In Q2, Janus Henderson Says

Global dividends rose 7.3% year on year to $757.8 billion in the second quarter of 2026, while share buybacks also remained strong, according to ETNet. Janus Henderson's latest Global Dividend Index showed Asia-Pacific companies excluding Japan paid $118.4 billion in dividends, up 6.4% in real terms. Japan posted one of the strongest dividend growth rates globally, with payouts of $52.6 billion, up 18.2%, and buybacks of $36.3 billion, ranking second among major markets. Mainland China remained the largest dividend market in Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, with $61.8 billion in payouts, while Taiwan, South Korea, Australia and Hong Kong also recorded solid growth. Hong Kong companies paid $8.2 billion in dividends, up 4.3% in real terms, supported by AIA, Sands China and Galaxy Entertainment. Janus Henderson expects global dividend growth of 5% to 6% in 2026 and share buyback growth of about 7% to 8%.