Manulife Financial to Issue $900 million of 4.079% Notes Maturing in 2015

/NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES/

TORONTO, Aug. 17 /CNW/ - Manulife Financial Corporation (the "Company") intends to issue $900,000,000 principal amount of medium term notes constituting senior indebtedness pursuant to its medium term note program.

The medium term notes, to be offered on a best efforts basis through an agency syndicate led by RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., are expected to be issued on August 20, 2010. The notes will pay a fixed rate of 4.079 per cent until maturity on August 20, 2015.

The notes will be direct unsecured obligations of the Company and will rank equally with all other unsecured indebtedness of the Company that is not subordinated. The net proceeds of the offering will be utilized for general corporate purposes of the Company, including investments in subsidiaries.

The Company intends to file in Canada a pricing supplement to its amended and restated short form base shelf prospectus dated May 8, 2009 (amending and restating its March 30, 2009 short form base shelf prospectus) and prospectus supplement dated April 21, 2009 in respect of this issue. Details of the offering are set out in the prospectus, which will be available on the SEDAR website for the Company at www.sedar.com.

The medium term notes have not been and will not be registered in the United States under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States or to U. S. Persons absent registration or applicable exemption from the registration requirement of such Act. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy the medium term notes in the United States.

About Manulife Financial

Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group operating in 22 countries and territories worldwide. For more than 120 years, clients worldwide have looked to Manulife for strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services to millions of clients around the world. We provide asset management services to institutional customers worldwide as well as reinsurance solutions, specializing in life and property and casualty retrocession. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were $454 billion (US$428 billion) as at June 30, 2010. The Company operates as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia and primarily as John Hancock in the United States.

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

For further information: Media inquiries: David Paterson, 416-852-8899, [email protected]; Laurie Lupton, 416-852-7792, [email protected]; Investor Relations: Shad Ansari, 1-800-795-9767, [email protected]