Twenty-five of the thirty Dow components have dividend yields greater than the 10-year US treasury, which yields around 1.79 percent -- a record low.
The average dividend yield of the Dow stands at 3.11 percent, up 43 basis points from April 29, when the index closed near a three-year high. Since then, the Dow has fallen 16 percent, pushing yields higher.
Despite the pullback in the market, various companies continue to reward investorswith dividend increases.
McDonald's , for example, announced Thursday it is raising its quarterly cash dividend by almost 15 percent to $0.70 cents per share.
AT&T andVerizon continue to be the highest-yielding stocks since the beginning of the year.