Fitch Affirms Hartford Investment Management's 'CAM2' CDO Asset Manager Rating.

NEW YORK -- Fitch Ratings affirms the 'CAM2' leveraged loan CDO asset manager rating of Hartford Investment Management Company (HIMCO). The 'CAM2' rating is based on the company's favorable performance track record which recognizes the experience and stability of the management team, and acknowledges the attention given to the sound administration of its CLO portfolios.

HIMCO's scores issued for each group of criteria factors are summarized as follows:

-- Company and Management Experience '1.75';

-- Staffing '1.75';

-- Procedures and Controls '1.75';

-- Portfolio Management '1.75';

-- CDO Administration '1.75';

-- Technology '1.50';

-- CDO Portfolio Performance '1.50'.

HIMCO's composite score of '1.66' is used to establish a systematically applied quantitative link between its asset manager rating and Fitch's CDO rating criteria, in accordance with the approach outlined in Fitch Research on 'Reviewing and Rating CDO Asset Managers,' dated Jan. 27, 2006, available on the Fitch Ratings' web site at www.fitchratings.com. A company profile and an expanded report detailing the seven factors which contributed to the HIMCO rating will be available on Fitch's public website www.fitchratings.com.

A wholly owned subsidiary of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Hartford Investment Management Company is one of the largest providers of investment products, life, disability and property insurance in the United States. HIMCO is a registered Securities and Exchange Commission investment advisor employing over 280 individuals, including 114 investment professionals. HIMCO is currently the manager of 4 CLOs and 3 loan funds. As of March 31, 2006 firm-wide assets under management exceeded $116 billion.

Fitch rates CDO asset managers by asset class, on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the highest rating. These ratings are based on a standardized scorecard methodology that includes factors in each of the seven groups noted above.

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's public site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.