Positive dividend news continues for the market in 2011. Through the end of the third quarter payout declarations, in the form of increases, reinstatement’s and extras rose 17% from the same period in 2010 according to Standard and Poor’s Indices, while only 23 of the 7,000 companies that report their data to S&P cut or omitted disbursements. Year to date through September the number of companies with positive declarations increased 26% to 1,304 from 1,033 while decreases and passed payouts fell 37% in that time. On an absolute basis corporations added just shy of $40 billion to dividends in the past three quarters which is 50% above the total added for all of 2010. For only the 2nd time in almost 50 years these payout boosts helped the S&P500 dividend yield exceed that of the 10 year US Treasury Note yield during the quarter, which had simultaneously seen it’s coupon drop to generational lows.