The Five-Star Rated Hartford MidCap Fund Reopens

One of the best-performing funds in the Morningstar Mid-Cap Growth category (out of 833 funds, based on risk adjusted overall returns as of 11/30/08), reopens to new investors after being closed for more than four years.

The Hartford Mutual Funds today announced that it will reopen the Five-Star Rated1 Hartford MidCap Fund to new investors effective Monday, December 15, 2008.
As a result of the Fund being closed since 2004, it has experienced normal outflows without the offsetting benefit of new cash flows. This has opened up capacity for new investors. In addition, the current market environment has created attractive new investment opportunities for the portfolio management team.

Portfolio Manager Phil Perelmuter, who has managed The Hartford MidCap Fund since its inception in 1997, believes the Fund is well positioned to accept new assets. “There are a lot of attractively priced mid-cap companies,” said Perelmuter. “Opening the Fund to new investors will help allow us to take advantage of these opportunities.”

Perelmuter, one of just 15 portfolio managers with a 10-year track record managing mid-cap portfolios, has garnered many industry accolades, including:

* Winner of the U.S. Lipper Fund Award2 in the MidCap Core Category for funds with a 10-year track record (2008) * Named in Barron’s Top 100 Manager List3 five times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2008) * An overall 5-Star Morningstar® Rating (the Fund is rated 4 Stars over three years, and 5 Stars over five years and 10 years—all ratings are as of 11/30/08)

The Fund, sub-advised by Wellington Management Company, LLP, boasts an impressive historical performance record, having outpaced its benchmark (the S&P MidCap 400 Index) in 10 of the last 11 calendar years, and year-to-date through 11/30/08. The Fund has also outperformed its Lipper peer group (Lipper MidCap Core) in nine of the last 11 calendar years, and year-to-date through 11/30/08. (Data Sources: Morningstar and Lipper, 12/08)

According to Morningstar percentile rankings (based on total return), the Fund is one of the top-performing funds in the Mid-Cap Growth category over all time periods (ended 9/30/08):
* Top 10% of its category for 1-year performance (#94 out of 932 funds) * Top 6% for 3-year performance (#51 out of 819 funds) * Top 5% for 5-year performance (#36 out of 679 funds) * Top 3% for 10-year performance (#10 out of 332 funds) * Top 2% for performance since inception on 12/31/97 (#5 out of 288 funds)

In addition to the 5-Star overall rating from Morningstar in the MidCap Growth Category, the Fund is also rated:

4 Stars over three years (out of 833 funds in the category);

5 Stars over five years (out of 633 funds in the category);

5 Stars over 10 years (out of 339 funds in the category);

All ratings are as of 11/30/08, and are based on risk-adjusted return.

Data from Morningstar show that mid-cap stocks have historically performed well following periods of recession. Over the last 30 years, mid-cap stocks have rebounded more strongly than large-cap stocks in the 12 months following the end of the last three official recessions, as determined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (official recession dates were: 7/81-11/82, 7/90-3/91, and 3/01-11/01).

“Historically, mid-cap companies generally have greater growth potential than comparable large-caps, and also offer more seasoned management, greater liquidity and stronger operating histories than many small-cap companies,” said Perelmuter.

“We think there is tremendous value for both current shareholders and new investors in reopening the MidCap Fund at this time,” said Keith Sloane, senior vice president, The Hartford Mutual Funds. “We are very pleased to be able to offer this unique opportunity to get into a highly-sought-after mid-cap fund.” He added, “Investing in mid-cap companies is considered by many financial advisors as a core foundation of strategic asset allocation, and the reopening of the Fund further strengthens our already formidable lineup of style-focused and broad mandate equity funds.”

The Hartford MidCap Fund (symbols – Class A:HFMCX, Class B:HAMBX, Class C:HMDCX) seeks to outperform the S&P MidCap 400 Index by investing in high-quality, established mid-cap companies with good balance sheets, strong management teams, and market leadership in their industry. The investment approach focuses on meeting three imperatives:

* Quality – a focus on industry leaders with high market share
* Diversification – attempt to be invested in all 10 sectors of the market
* Purity – consistent investment in mid-cap companies

[ForexGen Live Accounts Contest]

Trade, Compete, and Win - Begins the 1st of Every Month!

ForexGen has the pleasure to announce the launching of its first monthly Live Accounts contest,
This is NOT a demo contest

this is a live trading [competition] open for all live mini account holders. At the beginning of each month, the slate is wiped clean and traders have a new opportunity to win the monthly prizes.

What makes this contest unique?
All prizes are CASH prizes with no restrictions on withdrawing the prize money! How Do I Enter?


You don't have to pay any fee to enter this contest, all [ForexGen] mini Accounts with a balance of "$1000" and a default leverage of 1:200 are entitled to participate in this contest upon their account holder request by sending an e-mail request on live.contest@forexgen.com

For more information about our current and future promotions, kindly contact one of our customers support agents at promotions@forexgen.com

ForexGen | China Says Impact of Global Crisis Deepening

Impact of global crisis on China deepening, official warns job losses could fuel instability

China's top economic planner warned Thursday that the impact of the global financial crisis is worsening and said rising job losses could fuel instability.

Beijing announced its biggest interest rate cut in 11 years on Wednesday to boost consumer and company spending, reflecting its growing urgency about reviving growth as it launches a multibillion-dollar stimulus package.

"This crisis is spreading all over the world and its impact on China's economy is deepening," Zhang Ping, chairman of the Cabinet's National Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference. He said economic indicators for November were showing an "even faster decline," though he gave no details.

China's economic growth is expected to fall to about 9 percent this year, down from last year's 11.9 percent. That would be the fastest of any major economy, but Chinese leaders worry about possible unrest as unemployment rises, especially in export industries where factories are shutting down as global demand plummets.

"Excessive production halts and closing of enterprises will cause massive unemployment, which will lead to instability," Zhang said.

The 1.08 percentage-point cut in China's key one-year lending rate on Wednesday -- China's biggest rate cut since 1997 and the fourth in three months -- is "one of the essential measures to stimulate our economic growth," Zhang said.

Zhang said the 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion), two-year stimulus package announced Nov. 9 should add about 1 percentage point to China's growth rate. That was below the 2 percentage point increase forecast by independent analysts.

Zhang said Beijing will take steps to boost growth and ensure the economy continues to create jobs. But he did not respond to a question about whether Beijing is planning to enact additional stimulus plans.

A state newspaper reported last weekend that Zhang's agency is working on an additional stimulus package that is meant to supplement the Nov. 9 package with more spending on health, education and other social programs.

The main stimulus package calls for insulating China from the global downturn by injecting money into the economy through higher spending on construction of airports, highways and other projects. It is meant to spur domestic consumption.

The cut in the one-year lending rate to 5.58 percent, effective Thursday, is aimed at encouraging consumers and businesses to borrow and spend, which is seen as a more effective way to fuel growth than government spending.

The stimulus package includes 1.8 trillion yuan ($263 billion) in spending on airports, highways and other, 370 billion yuan ($54 billion) to improve infrastructure in the poor countryside and 350 billion ($51 billion) for environmental projects, according to Zhang.

It also includes 280 billion yuan ($41 billion) for construction of low-income housing and 40 billion yuan ($5.8 billion) for health and education programs, Zhang said.

Zhang said the government is working on how local governments will pay for their share of the stimulus spending. The central government is to supply 1.2 trillion yuan ($175 billion) of the total stimulus spending, with the rest coming from lower-level governments and state companies.

ForexGen Live Accounts Contest

Trade, Compete, and Win - Begins the 1st of Every Month!

ForexGen has the pleasure to announce the launching of its first monthly Live Accounts contest,
This is NOT a demo contest

this is a live trading competition open for all live mini account holders. At the beginning of each month, the slate is wiped clean and traders have a new opportunity to win the monthly prizes.
What makes this contest unique?

All prizes are CASH prizes with no restrictions on withdrawing the prize money!
How Do I Enter?

You don't have to pay any fee to enter this contest, all ForexGen mini Accounts with a balance of "$1000" and a default leverage of 1:200 are entitled to participate in this contest upon their account holder request by sending an e-mail request on live.contest@forexgen.com including their "live Account Number".

Winners will be announced by the 15th of the following month. For more information about our current and future promotions, kindly contact one of our customers support agents at promotions@forexgen.com, or you can chat with our representatives