FTSE 100 dividends to rise 18% in 2010

FTSE 100 dividend payouts are expected to rise 18% this year, as profitability recovers from the crisis.

The declaration in recent weeks of higher-than-expected dividend payments by a large number of companies for last year has raised expectations over the pay-outs for 2010, according to the Financial Times citing a report by data provider Markit. Of the 161 members of the FTSE 350 index to report dividends so far this quarter, 47% have beaten analysts' forecasts and only 27% have missed them, according to ING, the Dutch bank. Among the companies that surprised the most were Mondi, the paper supplier, and Logica, the IT company. Some of the biggest companies, such as Barclays and GlaxoSm...