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Manulife Asset Management wins four performance awards for 2002 Hong Kong – Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited (MAM) has once again received awards for the outstanding performance of its mutual funds – an endorsement of the company’s portfolio of mutual fund offerings. The awards were announced recently in Hong Kong by Benchmark magazine and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) as part of the annual Benchmark Fund of the Year Awards and SCMP Fund Manager of the Year Awards 2002, respectively. The Manulife GF Emerging Eastern Europe Fund won both the Emerging Markets one-year and three-year equity categories at the Benchmark Fund of the Year Awards. It also received the award for the Europe Emerging Markets three-year equity sector in the SCMP Fund Manager of the Year Awards. According to Standard & Poor’s Micropal, the fund has achieved remarkable one-year and three-year returns of 38.49 per cent and 44.62 per cent, respectively, as at December 31, 2002 and has the best performance among peer funds. “We are pleased to receive these awards and are especially proud of delivering consistent returns to MAM customers,” said Stefan Böttcher, investment manager of Manulife GF Emerging Eastern Europe Fund. “The Central European countries will soon become members of the European Union and should become beneficiaries of this market convergence.” The Manulife GF China Value Fund was another winner, clinching the Greater China three-year equity sector in the SCMP Fund Manager of the Year Awards. The fund which invests primarily in companies that have substantial business interests in the Greater China region, has consistently been a market champion, with a three-year return of 91.45 per cent as at December 31, 2002, based on Standard & Poor’s Micropal. “Winning this award for the second consecutive year, despite the poor economic conditions, is indeed an honour,” said Cheah Cheng Hye, investment manager of Manulife GF China Value Fund. “By concentrating on solid fundamentals, and by finding undiscovered value through research, we aim to deliver a strong and consistent performance to our investors.” “The China Value Fund and the Emerging Eastern European Fund have continued to yield strong returns to our customers over the past year,” said Eric Ng, Assistant Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MAM. “We are delighted to receive this third-party endorsement of our performance, and will continue our strategy to tap into the expertise of the best possible investment experts when creating funds to meet our customers’ needs.” Formerly known as Manulife Funds Direct (Hong Kong) Limited, MAM re-launched itself in January 2003 to offer a broader scope of wealth management services covering mutual funds offerings, as well as investment management and advisory services for both retail and institutional customers. “Our focus on offering our customers the best options has ensured that we have among the most comprehensive range of asset management capabilities in the market today,” commented Mr. Ng. About Manulife Asset Management (Hong Kong) Limited MAM is a leading provider of no-load mutual funds in Hong Kong. The company has 14 funds invested in diversified global markets. Minimum amount for lump sum investment is HK$5,000 and regular savings plans with contributions of HK$1,000 per month are also available. Switching between the funds is free of charge. MAM is a member of the Manulife Financial group of companies. About Manulife Financial Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group operating in 15 countries and territories worldwide. Through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners, Manulife Financial offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services. Funds under management by Manulife Financial were Cdn$146.2 billion (approximately HK$721.7 billion) as at December 31, 2002. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com. - 30 - For more information, please contact:
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