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BMO Investments Inc. To Launch Six New Funds New offering includes a diversified mix of income, U.S. dollar and global tax advantage funds  

BMO Investments Inc. today announced it will launch six new mutual funds and a currency option on an existing fund, available October 12, 2004. The new selection will bring added income, currency diversification and global reach, particularly into China, to Canadian retail investors.

"Many investors today are looking for the right mix of fund products that offer both geographic and currency diversification, along with a strong income component," said Ed Legzdins, President and CEO, BMO Investments Inc. "In order to meet these changing needs, BMO Investments has created a more extensive and complete mix of mutual fund products."

BMO Investments has selected some of the most respected fund management firms in the industry to manage the funds, including UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co., Jones Heward Investment Counsel Inc. and Asian specialist, Martin Currie Inc.

"We took great care to ensure we matched this new line-up of mutual funds with outstanding firms that demonstrated strong track records and consistent results," said Legzdins.

Overview of New Funds

Income Products: BMO Global Monthly Income Fund and BMO U.S. Dollar Monthly Income Fund
In addition to the existing BMO Monthly Income Fund, one of the industry's top selling mutual funds, these two newcomers will provide a complementary income-generating solution to non-registered portfolios, including:

  • exposure to global and U.S. equities and bonds
  • consistent stream of income each month
  • geographic and currency diversification.

The BMO Global Monthly Income Fund provides investors with a globally diversified portfolio with a fixed monthly cash flow. The BMO U.S. Dollar Monthly Income Fund offers investors, such as snowbirds or frequent travellers to the U.S, the benefit of U.S. dollar-based income along with the some capital appreciation potential.

These broadly diversified funds will be managed by UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co., part of UBS Global Asset Management. UBS brings a track record of more than 20 years of global, long-term fundamental research experience to these new funds.

Currency Product: BMO U.S. Value Fund (U.S. $)
BMO U.S. Value Fund (U.S.$) is a new currency option on the firm's existing BMO U.S. Value Fund. The new currency option will provide investors with an actively managed U.S. equity investment in U.S. dollars. The BMO U.S. Value Fund focuses on stable large-cap stocks that may be undervalued by the marketplace. Coupled with BMO Investments' four existing U.S. Dollar Funds, investors can establish a diversified U.S. non-registered portfolio.

Donald Coxe is Chairman and Chief Strategist of Harris Investment Management, and Chairman of Jones Heward Investments Inc. With more than 27 years of investment management experience, Mr. Coxe manages the BMO U.S. Value Fund.

Tax Advantage Funds: BMO Canadian Equity Class, BMO U.S. Equity Class, BMO Dividend Class and BMO Greater China Class
These new funds will offer investors the opportunity to defer tax when switching between funds within the tax advantage family and will provide access to the core tax-advantaged funds needed to build a tax-efficient, non-registered portfolio.

BMO Greater China Class capitalizes on an economy and market that is second only to the United States and expanding at more than eight per cent a year. It will focus on long-term capital growth by investing primarily in companies that operate in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and companies that benefit from exposure to the region. Fund management firm, Martin Currie Inc., has more than 100 years of investment management experience and a strong track record across China and the rest of Asia.

BMO Canadian Equity Class and BMO Dividend Class will be managed by Jones Heward Investment Counsel's Chief Investment Officer, Michael Stanley, who has more than 25 years of industry experience and has been the long time fund manager of the BMO Equity Fund and BMO Dividend Fund.

BMO U.S. Equity Class, which provides a fundamental U.S. equity element to the corporate class structure, will be managed by John Leonard, UBS Global Asset Management (Canada) Co.'s Head of North American Equities and Head of Equities.

With the addition of these new funds, BMO Investments now offers forty mutual funds covering a broad spectrum of asset classes, sectors, geographic regions and management styles.

BMO Investments Inc. is a member of BMO Financial Group and part of the organization's Private Client Group. The Private Client Group provides integrated wealth management services in Canada and the United States and has total assets under management and administration and term investments of $283 billion at July 31, 2004.

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