Traders Bet Record Japan Dividends to Surprise Analysts: Options
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Investors are using futures to bet that record Japanese company dividends will grow even faster than analysts estimate as firms heed government calls to boost shareholder returns.
Dividends on the Nikkei 225 Stock Average will contribute 262 points to the index in the 2015 fiscal year and 276 points the year after, according to analyst forecasts compiled by Bloomberg. Futures tracking payouts on the gauge are more bullish, implying shareholders will receive about 11 percent more than analysts foresee in 2015 and 14 percent more in 2016, Singapore-traded contracts showed.