Manulife Floating Rate Senior Loan Fund (TSX: MFR.UN) Announces Normal Course Issuer Bid

TORONTO, July 26, 2013 /CNW/ - Manulife Investments announced today that the Manulife Floating Rate Senior Loan Fund (the "Fund"), a closed-end investment fund, received acceptance by the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") of the Fund's Notice of Intention to make a Normal Course Issuer Bid (the "NCIB").

Pursuant to the NCIB, the Fund proposes to purchase through the facilities of the TSX, from time to time, if it is considered advisable, up to 2,640,283 Class A Units of the Fund, representing 10% of the public float which is the same number as the Fund's issued and outstanding Class A Units, being 26,402,836 Class A Units as of the close of business on June 30, 2013. The Fund will not purchase in any given 30-day period, in the aggregate, more than 528,056 Class A Units, being 2% of the issued and outstanding Class A Units as of the date hereof. Purchases of Class A Units under the NCIB may commence on July 29, 2013. The Board of Directors of Manulife Asset Management Limited, the manager of the Fund, believes that such purchases are in the best interests of the Fund and are a desirable use of the Fund's assets. All purchases will be made through the facilities of the TSX in accordance with its rules and policies. All Class A Units purchased by the Fund pursuant to the NCIB will be cancelled. The NCIB will expire on July 28, 2014.

For more information, please contact Manulife Customer Service at 1-888-333-3240.

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Fund's and/or Manulife Investments current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Although the Fund and/or Manulife Investments believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Fund and/or Manulife Investments undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

About Manulife Investments
Manulife Investments is the brand name describing certain Canadian subsidiaries and operating divisions of Manulife Financial Corporation that offer personal wealth management products and services in Canada. As one of Canada's leading integrated financial services providers, Manulife Investments offers a variety of products and services including segregated fund contracts, mutual funds, annuities and guaranteed interest contracts.

About Manulife Asset Management
Manulife Asset Management is the global asset management arm of Manulife Financial. Manulife Asset Management provides comprehensive asset management solutions for institutional investors and investment funds in key markets around the world. Manulife Asset Management also provides investment management services to affiliates' retail clients through product offerings of Manulife and John Hancock. This investment expertise extends across a broad range of asset classes including equity, fixed income and alternative investments such as real estate, timber, farmland, as well as asset allocation strategies. Manulife Asset Management has investment presence in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. In addition, it has a joint venture asset management business in China, Manulife TEDA. It also has operations in Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Uruguay. John Hancock Asset Management, Hancock Natural Resource Group and Declaration Management and Research are units of Manulife Asset Management. As at March 31, 2013, assets under management were C$252 billion. Additional information about Manulife Asset Management can be found at manulifeam.com.

About Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Clients look 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. We also provide asset management services to institutional customers. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were C$555 billion (US$547 billion) as at March 31, 2013. 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 manulife.com.

SOURCE: Manulife Mutual Funds

Beth McGoldrick, 1-617-663-4751, [email protected]; Brian Carmichael, 1-617-663-4748, [email protected], both of Manulife Investments

http://www.manulifeam.com