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TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 1, 2012) - BMO Financial Group today announced that it intends to launch BMO China A-Share Fund, which begins its initial offering period on April 30, 2012. BMO China A-Share Fund will offer Canadian accredited investors a unique way to access China's equity and fixed income markets. BMO Financial Group is the first Canadian financial services organization to offer clients access to China A-Shares through a Canadian-domiciled pooled fund.

BMO China A-Share Fund will seek to provide accredited investors with the opportunity to achieve long term capital appreciation by investing primarily in the securities of issuers established in, operating in, or that derive the majority of their revenue from within the People's Republic of China. The fund is suited for accredited investors who have an investment time horizon of at least five years, are seeking an international growth component to complement their existing portfolio and seek exposure to mainland Chinese equity markets.

"China commands a strategic place in the global arena. With China set to lead the world in gross domestic product in a few years, Canadian investors are looking for innovative ways to access the Chinese economy," said Rajiv Silgardo, Co-CEO, BMO Global Asset Management™. "For Canadian investors, the opportunity to access this strategic market much more broadly and deeply is now achievable through the cutting-edge BMO China A-Share Fund."

The Fund is managed by Fullgoal Fund Management Co. Ltd. ("Fullgoal"), an award-winning advisor and one of China's first 10 fund companies. Fullgoal has been partially owned by Bank of Montreal since 2003.

"The BMO China A-Share Fund opens up a whole new category of companies to Canadian investors," said Steve Dou, Chief Executive Officer, Fullgoal. "This allows for new opportunities for portfolio diversification."

Highlights of the fund include:

• A unique way to access to China's growth: Investors will gain exposure to China's equity market through the fund's investment in A-Shares, which will include access to Chinese industries and companies that are not readily accessible to most foreign investors

• Access to an advisor with local expertise: Fullgoal is an award-winning advisor with a local presence in mainland China and proven expertise in Chinese securities

• Diversified portfolio: The Fund will provide access to a diversified portfolio of Chinese securities denominated in Renminbi across all equity sectors

A-Shares are shares of Chinese companies that are incorporated in mainland China and listed on the Shanghai or Shenzhen stock exchanges - a market including more than 2,300 issuers with a total market capitalization second only to the S&P 500 index. These securities are now accessible to foreign investors via a Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (QFII) licence. BMO Financial Group secured a QFII licence in December 2010, enabling it to create an A-Share fund with full access to the Chinese A-Share market.

For more information on BMO China A-Share Fund, please contact your local BMO Guardian wholesaler.

About BMO Financial Group in China

BMO Bank of Montreal (BMO) is the only Canadian and one of only three North American banks with an established subsidiary bank in China. BMO's subsidiary bank, Bank of Montreal (China) Co. Ltd. (BMO ChinaCo), maintains branches in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, allowing the bank the flexibility to expand its product and service offerings for North American and Chinese clients. BMO also has a branch in Hong Kong, and a representative office in Taipei, Taiwan. In addition, BMO established an Investment Banking representative office in Beijing and has a 28 per cent equity interest in Fullgoal, one of China's leading fund management companies. In 2011, BMO acquired Lloyd George Management, which specializes in Asia, Global Emerging and Frontier Markets equities, with offices in Hong Kong and elsewhere. In 2012, BMO entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 19.99 per cent interest in COFCO Trust Co., a subsidiary of COFCO Group - one of China's largest state-owned enterprises with operations across a variety of sectors, including agriculture and financial services.

BMO China A-Share Fund is offered by BMO Investments Inc., a financial services organization and separate legal entity from Bank of Montreal. BMO China A-Share Fund is a mutual fund that is not a reporting issuer (pooled fund), and is offered by way of offering memorandum to eligible investors only.

Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses all may be associated with pooled fund investments. Please read the Offering Memorandum before investing in the pooled fund. Pooled funds are not guaranteed or covered by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Régie de l'assurance-dépôts du Quebec or by any other government deposit insurer. Pooled funds are distributed on a prospectus exempt basis, are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated.

BMO Global Asset Management™ comprises BMO Asset Management Inc., BMO Investments Inc., BMO Asset Management U.S. and BMO's specialized investment management firms.

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