John Hancock Closed-End Funds Declare Quarterly Distributions

BOSTON, March 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Three John Hancock closed-end funds declared their quarterly distributions today as follows:

    
    
                                                                 Annualized
                                                                   Current
                                                  Market Price   Distribution
                                                     as of         Rate at
    Ticker    Fund Name                  Amount    02/26/2010      Market
    ------    ---------                  ------   ------------   ------------
            Tax-Advantaged Global
      HTY   Shareholder Yield            $0.3600     $12.70        11.34%
      ---   ---------------------        -------     ------        -----
      JHI   Investors Trust              $0.5218     $19.45        10.73%
      ---   ---------------              -------     ------        -----
      JHS   Income Securities Trust      $0.2755     $13.68         8.06%
      ---   -----------------------      -------     ------         ----

John Hancock Bank and Thrift Opportunity Fund (NYSE: BTO) will declare its quarterly distribution on March 15, 2010 and pay its quarterly distribution as expected on March 31, 2010, with an ex-date of March 18, 2010 and record date of March 22, 2010.  The Fund's declaration schedule was finalized and pre-cleared by the NYSE in December 2009.

A portion of a Fund's current distribution may include sources other than net investment income, including a return of capital. Investors should understand that a return of capital is not a distribution from income or gains of a Fund. As required under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a notice with the estimated components of the distribution will be mailed to shareholders at the time of payment if it does not consist solely of net investment income. Such notice will also be posted to the Funds' website at www.jhfunds.com. The notice should not be used to prepare tax returns as the estimates indicated in the notice may differ from the ultimate federal income tax characterization of distributions. After the end of each calendar year, investors will be sent a Form 1099-DIV informing them how to report distributions received during that year for federal income tax purposes.

About John Hancock Funds

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial, John Hancock Funds, manages more than $53.7 billion in open-end funds, closed-end funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for individual and institutional investors at December 31, 2009.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation 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$440 billion (US$420 billion) at December 31, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

SOURCE John Hancock Funds

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