Asia dividend funds turn to China, India to counter Fed hike

Singapore

ASIAN dividend-paying equity funds are reducing investments in traditional safe bets in favour of companies with rising dividend payouts to guard against investors selling out from the funds when US interest rates rise.

Dividend funds usually invest in stable assets that yield more than bonds and pay predictable returns, but these will become less attractive to investors amid rising returns from Treasuries when the Federal Reserve starts to hike rates.