Even as the market trades near record highs, dividend payers – particularly those that have lifted their payments – can bolster portfolios in rocky times. The S & P 500 touched a fresh all-time high on Friday, and it has surged 9.6% in 2025. The broad market index is up more than 30% from its April low, back when the Trump administration announced a slate of tariffs that rattled investors. Dividend-paying stocks can offer investors some measure of safety from these jolts, though. "In periods of elevated risks and valuations, dividends become [a] more important part of investors' total returns, dampening volatility and providing some support to stock prices," wrote Morgan Stanley strategist Todd Castagno in a Thursday report. Higher dividend yields that are durable are also attractive durin

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