Abstract
Optimal dividend policy remains a key topic of debate in corporate finance, particularly in emerging markets where investor preferences and macroeconomic volatility affect decision making. This study therefore examines the relationship between dividend policy and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) market index over the period 2000 to 2020. The study uses firm-level dividend data to construct a market-capitalization-weighted aggregate dividend index. The paper further employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) and error correction model to assess the long-run equilibrium relationship and short-run adjustments. The results show evidence of a long-run relationship between dividends and the JSE index price. In the short run, dividend payments exhibit negative effect on index prices while lagged dividends have a significant positive effect on index implying delayed market response. These findings suggest that South African investors place more confidence and emphasis on capital gains rather than dividend distributions. This study contributes evidence on the aggregate dividend dynamics within the context of an emerging market and offers practical insights for managers, investors and policy makers.