Dividend stock investing remains a hedge against stock market volatility, with recent data showing high-yield energy sector equities outperforming by 2.7% in the last quarter. Morningstar notes rising free cash flows, signaling potential dividend increases across mid-cap firms. I currently have a low allocation to bonds. However, I'm slowly increasing my allocation to bonds as I age by steadily investing a portion of my cash in top bond ETFs, such as the iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF. Healthpeak Properties recently switched to paying monthly dividends. Dividend stock investing in healthcare is gaining interest as firms increase payouts post-strong Q1 cashflow. Data from Standard & Poor’s shows payout ratio improvements to 48%, lowering dividend cut risks during market downturns.
