Coronavirus to bring deep U.S. capital return letdowns

(Reuters) - U.S. investors will likely see sharp declines in capital returns this year as companies look to conserve cash during the coronavirus crisis, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices which is predicting a significant first-quarter decline in buybacks and a dismal second quarter.And while companies are more hesitant to cut or suspend dividends, some have already done so, potentially leading to S&P 500's first annual drop in dividends since 2009, according to senior analyst Howard..