From City AM, Jan. 11:
European stocks are set to pay out a record €323bn (£286bn) in dividends this year, according to investment manager Allianz Global Investors.
At 7.7 per cent more than last year, Allianz believes the rise in dividend payouts means corporates are paying more attention to shareholders' interests.
"We haven’t had such an optimistic outlook as we do going into 2018 for quite some time," said Jorg de Vries-Hippen, chief investment officer at Allianz's equity Europe team.
"The economy in Europe is running well and corporate profits are expected to continue to develop positively, which has a positive impact on companies' dividend payments and pay-out ratios. Overall, we expect earnings growth of around eight per cent, perhaps a little lower if the euro strength persists."...MORE
