Latest research has indicated that as companies around the world continue to recover from the pandemic, they’re dividend payments have also resumed.

Asset manager Janus Henderson released its latest edition of the Janus Henderson Global Dividend Index which illustrated rising profits and strong balance sheets enabled companies to lift their third dividends for the third quartet of 2021 to hit $403.5 billion. This is an all time high for Q3 payouts.

The firm also found that booming mining dividends drove two-thirds of the year-on-year increase, with restored bank dividends also making a significant contribution to Q3 growth.

The strength of Q3 and a positive outlook for Q4 has led Janus Henderson to upgrade their 2021 forecast. It now expects dividends to surpass the pre-pandemic pea by the end of December 2021, recovering from their March 2021 low in just nine months.

“Three important things changed during the third quarter,” said Jane Shoemake, client portfolio manager on the global equity income team at Janus Henderson.

“First and most importantly, mining companies all around the world have benefited from sky-high commodity prices. Many of them delivered record results and dividends followed suit.

“Secondly, banks took quick advantage of the relaxation of limits on dividends and restored payouts to a higher level than seemed possible even a few months ago. And finally, the first few companies in the US to start the annual dividend reset showed that businesses there are keen to return cash to shareholders,” she added.