Higher payouts seen for 19 of 30 STI stocks

IT'S pretty good news for STI blue chippers looking for better dividends. The majority, or 19 out of the 30 stocks in the Straits Times Index, are expected to hand out better payouts in the next 12 months, with three expected to pay special dividends, said Markit Dividend Research.

But while payouts are expected to be better, the picture is somewhat gloomy in dividend yield terms, especially in banks and telcos, and that is because share prices have risen.

"Focusing on dividends for the next 12 months to be declared by stocks in the FTSE Straits…