BMO Investments Inc., today launched the BMO U.S. High Yield Bond Fund. The new fund will provide investors with an opportunity to further diversify their portfolios with exposure to the U.S. high yield bond market.

“Investing in U.S. high yield bonds provides investors with enhanced return potential and improved diversification given the bonds’ historically lower correlation to other sectors of the fixed income market,” says Linda Knight, president and chief operating officer, BMO Investments Inc.

The new fund will be managed by HIM Monegy, Inc. HIM Monegy is part of Chicago-based Harris Investment Management, Inc., and operates within the BMO Financial Group. HIM Monegy is dedicated to managing high yield bonds, loans and credit default swaps. As of Dec. 31, 2007, assets under management for HIM Monegy were approximately $1.4 billion.

The BMO U.S. High Yield Bond Fund will:

> provide a high level of total return through a combination of income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in fixed income securities issued by U.S corporations;

> invest primarily in securities with a credit rating below BBB; and

> seek the best potential investments for the portfolio by analyzing the credit ratings of various issuers and using bottom up quantitative and fundamental analysis.

The fund is available in both Series A units for retail investors and Series I units for institutional investors.