The John Hancock Global Opportunities Fund, launched in February of 2005, will now be available to retail investors for the first time. The fund is sub-advised by MFC Global Investment Management LLC, an institutional asset manager affiliated with John Hancock's parent company, Manulife Financial.

John Hancock has announced the launch of the John Hancock Global Opportunities Fund (JGPAX). The fund, which was established on February 28, 2005, is available to retail investors for the first time effective today. John Hancock Global Opportunities is sub-advised by MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.), LLC, an institutional asset manager affiliated with John Hancock's parent company, Manulife Financial.

Managed by Timothy E. Keefe, CFA, executive vice president and chief equity officer of MFC Global (U.S.), and Timothy M. Malloy, vice president, the John Hancock Global Opportunities Fund seeks long-term capital appreciation by investing its assets in US and foreign equity securities of any size. Equity securities include common and preferred stocks and their equivalents. In managing the portfolio, the management team emphasizes a value-oriented, bottom-up approach to individual stock selection. With the aid of proprietary financial models, the management team looks for companies that are selling at what appear to be substantial discounts to their long-term intrinsic values. These companies often have identifiable catalysts for growth, such as new products, business reorganizations or mergers.

"We are pleased to make available to the general public this new fund managed by the team responsible for the success of our John Hancock Small Cap Intrinsic Value (JHIAX) and Large Cap Equity (TAGRX) funds," said Andrew Arnott, Vice President and head of product management and development for John Hancock Funds. "Global Opportunities offers investors a flexible global strategy designed to leverage the stock-picking capabilities of Tim Keefe and Tim Malloy across the capitalization spectrum."

Keith F. Hartstein, President and CEO of John Hancock Funds, said: "Including Global Opportunities, John Hancock Funds has now launched 33 new funds since the beginning of 2005, representing the highest number of new fund launches within the non-proprietary channel over this span and underscoring our commitment to growing our mutual fund business."

2007's first quarter saw the launch of the new John Hancock Classic Value Mega Cap and Global Shareholder Yield funds. Also, in January two new fund of funds products were introduced: the John Hancock International Allocation Portfolio, which invests in international equity funds managed by a variety of leading asset management firms, and the John Hancock Lifecycle Portfolios, comprised of a series of eight target-date mutual funds plus a Retirement Portfolio.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial Services, John Hancock Funds manages more than $56 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at March 31, 2007. For more information, please visit http://www.jhfunds.com/.

John Hancock Financial Services is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$426 billion (US$370 billion) at March 31, 2007. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

Edited by: Erin Kello

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