The total dividends paid by the world’s largest companies by the end of 2024 amounted to $1.747 trillion, according to a report by UK-based Janus Henderson Investors.
This is a record and 6.6% higher than the previous year.
In 17 of the 49 countries whose representatives were taken into account in the study, dividend payments reached historic highs. These include the US, Japan, France and China.
The leaders in the amount of payments were Microsoft Corp., Exxon Mobil, HSBC, Apple Inc., China Construction Bank Corp., PetroChina Co., China Mobile, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Chevron Corp. and Johnson & Johnson, whose dividends totaled $145.9 billion (or 8.4% of the total). Next came Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Verizon Communications, Abbvie, Petroleo Brasileiro (Petrobras), BHP, Broadcom, Pfizer Inc., Procter & Gamble Co., Home Depot Inc. and Toyota Motor – their payouts totaled $101.7 billion.
Companies such as Meta, Alphabet Inc. and Alibaba declared their first-ever dividends last year.
About 88% of companies increased their payouts or kept them the same.
American companies increased dividends by 8.7% (up to $651.6 billion), Japanese companies – by 15.5% (up to $86 billion), European companies excluding Great Britain – by 5.6% (up to $313 billion), representatives of the Asia-Pacific region excluding Japan – by 2% (up to $163.5 billion).
In the fourth quarter, the world’s leading companies paid $371.7 billion in dividends, which is 7.3% higher than in the same period in 2023.
According to Janus Henderson’s forecast, by the end of 2025, the total amount of dividends paid globally will grow by 5.1% to $1.83 trillion, i.e. will once again renew the record.
Janus Henderson’s quarterly study, which analyzes global trends in dividend payments, takes into account data from 1.2 thousand of the world’s largest companies by market value. It has been conducted since 2009.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland has decided to allocate humanitarian aid to Ukraine in the amount of 16 million euros.
According to the Finnish Foreign Ministry, the aid will be provided through UN humanitarian agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“Finland has been supporting Ukraine’s humanitarian needs since the first day of Russia’s invasive war and will continue to do so. The need for humanitarian aid in Ukraine is enormous and our assistance is important,” said Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Ville Tavio.
Finland also provides assistance to address the serious refugee crises in Africa and the humanitarian situation in the Middle East. Finland is providing €2 million in support of the World Food Program (WFP) operation in Sudan, €2.5 million to the WFP operation in Gaza, and €2 million to the UNHCR regional refugee operation in Syria, among other operations. Support is also provided to Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes and Sahel regions. In Asia, Finland supports Afghanistan and Myanmar through the International Red Cross Movement.
Finland is also providing €2 million to fund the work of the World Food Program and UNHCR on the inclusion of people with disabilities. The assistance is targeted at people with disabilities, who are often in the most vulnerable situation. In addition, 2 million euros are being provided to develop WFP’s school feeding activities and support school feeding, especially in Africa.
In addition to these decisions, Finland provides core funding to multilateral humanitarian organizations. In addition, preparations are underway for humanitarian assistance to be channelled through Finnish civil society organizations. The rest of the humanitarian funding from the budget will be provided later this year.
For the first time, a Ukrainian woman became a bone marrow donor for a foreigner, and the bone marrow was transplanted to a patient of an Italian clinic, the Ministry of Health reported on its Telegram channel.
It is noted that the stem cells were taken at the National Children’s Specialized Hospital “Okhmatdyt”, and on the same day a special courier delivered them to a clinic in Italy, where the patient was waiting for them.
“This is the first time a Ukrainian donor has helped a foreign patient. Previously, Ukrainians have received help from donors from Germany, France, Turkey, Poland, India, and the United States,” the Health Ministry emphasizes.
Greenland ‘s pro-independence supporters have won the local parliamentary elections held the day before, Danish Radio reported on Tuesday.
With 100% of the votes counted, the Demokraatit (Democrats) party became the largest party in the 31-seat parliament, winning ten seats. The party adheres to a liberal ideology and advocates gradual independence. The second place was taken by the Nalerak (“Aspiration”) party, which also advocates the island’s independence. It will be represented in the local parliament by eight deputies.
The left-wing socialist party Inuit Ataqvatigiit (Eskimo Union), which was in power in Greenland before the election, was defeated, receiving only seven seats. Their partners from the Social Democratic Party “Siumut” (“Forward”) will be represented in the new parliament of Greenland by four deputies.
Two more seats were won by representatives of the liberal conservatives from the Atassut (“Solidarity”) party.
Voter turnout in the elections was 70.9%.
Meanwhile, although the Democrats received the largest representation in the new parliament of Greenland, they failed to gain a parliamentary majority of 16 seats, so they will have to start coalition negotiations.
Earlier, the Experts Club think tank and Maksim Urakin released a video analysis on the most important elections in the world in 2025 – https://youtu.be/u1NMbFCCRx0?si=AOtHGDT1kGNdZd2g
Kyiv’s Defense Council has allowed traffic on the South Bridge from the left to the right bank, while traffic from the right to the left bank will remain closed for now, and restrictions on traffic during air alert on the Podil Bridge and Darnytsia Railway Bridge will be partially lifted, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
“After consultations with the military, the Kyiv Defense Council allowed traffic on the South Bridge from the left to the right bank,” Klitschko said, as quoted by the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) press service in a Telegram message on Wednesday.
Klitschko noted that traffic on the South Bridge from the right to the left bank will remain closed for the time being, except for emergency services, public transport, military vehicles, and transit freight transport.
According to him, traffic restrictions will also be partially lifted during the air raid alert at the Podilskyi bridge crossing and Darnytskyi railway bridge. Only one lane from the left to the right bank will be closed on these bridges during the air alert.
Thus, traffic will move without restrictions: North Bridge; Metro Bridge; Ovchinnikov Bridge; Paton Bridge. E.O. Paton Bridge; Darnytsia Railway Bridge (except for one lane); Podilskyi Bridge Crossing (except for one lane); and the South Bridge – from the left to the right bank.
India has officially extended the import permit for peas until May 31, 2025, which is a positive signal for Ukrainian farmers on the eve of the spring sowing campaign, the Ukrainian Pulses and Soybeans Association reported.
The industry association reminded that despite the traditional protectionist policy and restrictions on imports of agricultural products, India periodically opens temporary “import windows”, which are actively used by Ukrainian exporters of pulses.
“Almost all of 2024, a window of opportunity remained open for Ukrainian pea producers, as India, one of the world’s largest consumers of this crop, allowed duty-free imports. Such opportunities encourage farmers to increase their acreage, especially small and medium-sized businesses that are quick to respond to changes in market conditions,” said Antonina Skliarenko, President of the Ukrainian Bean and Soybean Association.
According to her, in 2025, the area under peas in Ukraine may increase by 15%, and in 2026, we can expect an even greater increase in production of this crop.
An additional factor that increases interest in growing peas is the finalization of the opening of the Chinese market for Ukrainian products and the signing of the relevant protocol on March 6, 2025.
“This is a historic event for the Ukrainian pea production, which opens up great export prospects. Given that China introduced a 100% duty on Canadian peas on March 7, Ukrainian producers are gaining a serious competitive advantage,” the head of the business association emphasized.
