US STOCKS-Dividend payments rose 3.7 pct in third quarter -S&P Dow Jones

NEW YORK, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Dividend payments for U.S. stocks rose by $12.3 billion in the third quarter, representing an increase of 3.7 percent from the prior year and putting companies on track for a record full-year payment, S&P Dow Jones Indices wrote on Tuesday.