Global buybacks reached US$ 572bn in Q2-2026
Global share buybacks surged 26.8% year-on-year to $572bn in the second quarter of 2026, driven by increased profitability among technology and financial companies, according to the latest Janus Henderson Global Dividend and Buyback Index.
Technology was at the centre of the increase, overtaking financials to become the largest source of buybacks globally, with companies repurchasing US$ 121.1bn of shares during the quarter.
Strong profitability has so far enabled leading technology companies to combine significant shareholder returns with rising investment in AI infrastructure, including data centres and computing capacity. Technology also recorded the fastest underlying dividend growth of any industry, at 23.5%, with payouts totalling US$ 70.5bn.
Global dividends also remained resilient, reaching US$ 757.8bn in Q2. Underlying dividend growth was 7.3%, with positive underlying growth recorded across every region covered by
Dividends gain
Middle East dividends continued to grow in the second quarter, with companies across the region distributing an estimated US$ 44.6bn, up 5.5% year-on-year on an underlying basis. Saudi Arabia remained the region’s largest dividend-paying market, accounting for 63.6% of the total with payouts of US$ 28.4bn.
UAE companies distributed US$ 13.6bn, or 30.4% of the regional total, with underlying dividend growth of 7.3%. Kuwait recorded the region’s fastest growth, with payouts rising 45.0% on an underlying basis to US$ 1.8bn.
“We believe Middle Eastern companies have an increasingly important role to play in a globally diversified income portfolio,” stated Meshal AlFaras, Managing Director, Head of Middle East, Africa & Central Asia, Janus Henderson Investors.
Janus Henderson forecasts global dividend growth of between 5 to 6% in 2026, while buybacks are expected to grow around 7 to 8%.
Strong cash generation
The outlook for dividends remains supported by resilient corporate earnings and strong cash generation across financials and technology. Dividends remain comparatively well protected, with companies generally placing a high value on maintaining regular distributions even when the economic backdrop becomes more difficult.
“We are seeing a shift in how companies think about returning capital. Dividends remain an important long-term commitment, but buybacks give management teams much more room to respond as their priorities change,” affirmed Jane Shoemake, Equities CPM Lead, EMEA at Janus Henderson.
