Global corporate dividends are set to reach a record high this year, as a rebound in business activity and a rise in consumer demand boosted profits for most sectors which were hit by the pandemic last year. According to a Reuters analysis of Refinitiv data for 3,394 global companies with market capitalization of at least $1 billion, their total payouts to shareholders are estimated to be $1.37 trillion in 2021. Dividends slumped last year against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic and as regulatory constraints and government pressures to restrict payments weighed. “The robust growth in dividend payouts by global companies reflects the sharp snapback in earnings post the pandemic-driven weakness. Dividend payouts are normalizing alongside economic stability and corporate confidence,” said Geoffry Dailey, senior portfolio manager at BNP Paribas Asset Management. “Capital markets are accessible and corporate balance sheets are healthy further bolstering the ability of firms to increase …