We review CEF market valuation and performance through the fourth week of March and highlight recent market action. The CEF market saw a solid rally, with equity-linked sectors leading the way. John Hancock Equity CEF HTY is proposing a merger with its mutual fund - this CEF to OEF merger carries a number of benefits for the manager.

BOSTON , March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - The five John Hancock closed-end funds listed below declared their quarterly distributions today as follows: Declaration Date: March 1, 2024 Ex Date: March 8, 2024 Record Date: March 11, 2024 Payment Date: March 28, 2024   Ticker Fund Name Distribution Per Share Change From Previous Distribution Market Price as of 02/29/2024 Annualized Current Distribution Rate at Market HEQ Hedged Equity & Income  $0.2500 - $10.22 9.78 % JHS Income Securities Trust $0.1095 -0.0182 $10.79 4.06 % JHI Investors Trust $0.2014 -0.0634 $13.14 6.13 % HTY Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund $0.1600 - $5.18 12.36 % BTO Financial Opportunities Fund $0.6500 - $28.56 9.10 % John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund Hedged Equity & Income Fund (the "Fund") declared its quarterly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "HEQ Plan"). Under the HEQ Plan, the Fund makes quarterly distributions in a fixed amount of $0.2500 per share, which will be paid quarterly until further notice.

BOSTON , Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - The John Hancock Closed-End Funds listed in the table below announced earnings1 for the three months ended January 31, 2024. The same data for the comparable three-month period ended January 31, 2023 is also available below.

BOSTON , Dec. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (NYSE: BTO), John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund (NYSE: HEQ), John Hancock Income Securities Trust (NYSE: JHS), John Hancock Investors Trust (NYSE: JHI), John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (NYSE: PDT), John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (NYSE: HTD), and John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield (NYSE: HTY) (each a "Fund" and collectively, the "Funds") announced today that the Board of Trustees has renewed the Funds' share repurchase plans.  The Board of Trustees approved the renewal of the share repurchase plans as part of its ongoing evaluation of options to enhance shareholder value and potentially decrease the discount between the market price and the net asset value per share ("NAV") of the Funds' common shares.

BOSTON , Dec. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The five John Hancock closed-end funds listed below declared their quarterly distributions today as follows: Declaration Date:         December 1, 2023 Ex Date:                       December 8, 2023 Record Date:                December 11, 2023 Payment Date:             December 29, 2023 Ticker Fund Name Distribution PerShare Change From Previous Distribution Market Price as of 11/30/2023 Annualized Current Distribution Rate at Market HEQ Hedged Equity & Income  $0.2500 - $10.05 9.95 % JHS Income Securities Trust $0.1277 0.0409 $10.50 4.86 % JHI Investors Trust $0.2648 0.0564 $12.61 8.40 % HTY Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund $0.1600 - $4.53 14.13 % BTO Financial Opportunities Fund $0.6500 - $26.89 9.67 % John Hancock Hedged Equity & Income Fund Hedged Equity & Income Fund (the "Fund") declared its quarterly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "HEQ Plan"). Under the HEQ Plan, the Fund makes quarterly distributions in a fixed amount of $0.2500 per share, which will be paid quarterly until further notice.

BOSTON , Sept. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The ten John Hancock closed-end funds listed below announced today that each fund's Annual Meeting of Shareholders ("Annual Meeting") will be held on February 20, 2024, at 2:00 p.m.

BOSTON , Sept. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund (NYSE: HTY) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund managed by John Hancock Advisers, LLC and subadvised by Epoch Investment Partners ("Epoch") announced today that effective November 1st, portfolio manager William Priest, CFA will assume the role of Vice-Chair TD Wealth and as of March 31, 2024, Mr.

BOSTON , Sept. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The John Hancock closed-end funds listed below declared their quarterly distributions today as follows: Declaration Date: September 1, 2023 Ex Date: September 8, 2023 Record Date: September 11, 2023 Payment Date: September 29, 2023   Ticker Fund Name Distribution Per Share Change From Previous Distribution Market Price as of      08/31/2023 Annualized Current Distribution Rate at Market JHS Income Securities Trust $0.0868 -0.0122 $10.78 3.22 % JHI Investors Trust $0.2084 -0.0068 $12.80 6.51 % HTY Tax-Advantaged Global Shareholder Yield Fund $0.1600 - $4.73 13.53 % BTO Financial Opportunities Fund $0.6500 - $26.96 9.64 %   John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund Financial Opportunities Fund (the "Fund") declared its quarterly distribution pursuant to the Fund's managed distribution plan (the "BTO Plan").

BOSTON, Aug. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - The John Hancock Closed-End Funds listed in the table below announced earnings1 for the three months ended July 31, 2023. The same data for the comparable three-month period ended July 31, 2022 is also available below.

The HTY fund aims to provide high current income from a portfolio of global stocks. The fund has underperformed global index funds on long-term horizons.