S&P 500 Dividend Yield Hits Record Low Near 1%, Enbridge Offers 5.1% Yield

The S&P 500 dividend yield has fallen to a record low of just over 1% following a powerful rally that lifted the index more than 100% since late 2022 and 16% since late March. Income-focused investors are being urged to look beyond the broad index toward defensive names such as Enbridge, which currently offers a 5.1% forward yield. The pipeline operator’s fee-based model moves 5.8 million barrels of oil and liquids daily and has supported a 31-year streak of annual dividend increases, while U.S. natural gas consumption rose 1% year-over-year to 2.78 trillion cubic feet in March.