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John Hancock Financial Trends Fund, Inc. and John Hancock Advisers LLC Announce
Change in Fund's Investment Adviser, Sub Adviser and Administrator


BOSTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Board of Directors of the John
Hancock Financial Trends Fund, Inc. (Nasdaq: JHFT - News; the "Fund") and John
Hancock Advisers, LLC, jointly announced today that after discussions regarding
the future direction of the $84 million Fund, they have mutually agreed that
John Hancock Advisers and its affiliates will resign as investment adviser,
subadviser and administrator to the Fund, and that Diamond Hill Capital
Management, Inc. ("Diamond Hill") (www.diamond-hill.com) will assume these
duties effective on or about December 1, 2007. As of the effective date, the
Fund will be renamed and no longer have any affiliation with John Hancock.


"We believe that this change makes sense at this time for both John Hancock
Advisers and the Fund," said Barry Evans, president of the Fund and spokesperson
for John Hancock Advisers. "We have been privileged to serve as the Fund's
adviser since 1992, succeeding another firm that launched the Fund in 1989 under
its original name, 'The Southeastern Savings Institutions Fund, Inc.' John
Hancock has been rapidly expanding its own complex of open-end and closed-end
funds, and we believe it is best to devote our resources to John Hancock's
proprietary funds. We are pleased that this arrangement has been reached and
look forward to working with the board and Diamond Hill to effect the
transition."

"The Board is grateful for the relationship the Fund has had with John Hancock
and John Hancock's efforts on behalf of the Fund's stockholders. The Board has
arrived at this decision after careful consideration of the options available to
the Fund and a comprehensive search for a suitable successor investment adviser.
The Board is impressed with Diamond Hill's track record, corporate culture and
investment process and believes that a relationship with Diamond Hill in the
future would be in the best interest of the Fund and its stockholders," said
Frank Golden, Chairman of the Fund's Board of Directors.

It is expected that the current members of the Fund's Board of Directors, none
of whom is affiliated with John Hancock or Diamond Hill, will remain in place.
Each of the Fund's officers, other than the Fund's Chief Compliance Officer, is
an employee of John Hancock or its affiliates. It is expected that each officer
will be replaced on the effective date by Diamond Hill representatives.

Under applicable regulations, the Board's appointment of Diamond Hill as
investment adviser is for an initial interim term of up to 150 days from the
effective date. Diamond Hill's continued service as investment adviser to the
Fund after that time is subject to approval of the Fund's stockholders.
Accordingly, the Fund will file a proxy statement with the Securities and
Exchange Commission and hold a special meeting of stockholders to, among other
things, consider and vote on a new investment advisory agreement with Diamond
Hill. The special meeting of stockholders is expected to take place in early
December. Only holders of record of the Fund's common stock at the close of
business on October 3, 2007 will be entitled to notice of and to vote at the
special meeting.

About the Fund

John Hancock Financial Trends Fund is a diversified, closed-end fund. The Fund
seeks long-term capital appreciation with current income as a secondary
objective by investing at least 80% of its assets in stocks of U.S. and foreign
financial services companies of any size.

About Manulife Financial and John Hancock

The Boston-based mutual fund business unit of John Hancock Financial Services,
John Hancock Funds manages more than $59 billion in open-end funds, closed-end
funds, private accounts, retirement plans and related party assets for
individual and institutional investors at June 30, 2007. For more information,
please visit http://www.jhfunds.com.

John Hancock Financial Services is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a
leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in
19 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in
Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the
company 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$410 billion (US$386 billion) at June 30, 2007. Manulife
Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '0945'
on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at
http://www.manulife.com .


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Source: John Hancock Advisers, LLC