CHICAGO, Dec. 4, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Much Shelist Freed Denenberg Ament & Rubenstein, P.C. announces that a class action lawsuit is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado on behalf of purchasers, redeemers and holders of shares of the INVESCO Mutual Funds set forth below (the "Funds") between December 5, 1998 and November 24, 2003, inclusive ("Class Period").
The Funds that are the subject of this suit and their symbols are as follows:
INVESCO Advantage Health Sciences Fund (Nasdaq:IAGHX;
Nasdaq:IGHBX; Nasdaq:IGHCX)
INVESCO Core Equity Fund (Nasdaq:ICEAX; Nasdaq:ICEBX;
Nasdaq:IINCX; Nasdaq:FIIIX; Nasdaq:IEIKX)
INVESCO Dynamics Fund (Nasdaq:IDYAX; Nasdaq:IDYBX; Nasdaq:IFDCX;
Nasdaq:FIDYX; Nasdaq:IDYKX; Nasdaq:IDICX)
INVESCO Energy Fund (Nasdaq:IENAX; Nasdaq:IENBX; Nasdaq:IEFCX;
Nasdaq:FSTEX; Nasdaq:IENKX)
INVESCO Financial Services Fund (Nasdaq:IFSAX; Nasdaq:IFSBX;
Nasdaq:IFSCX; Nasdaq:FSFSX; Nasdaq:FSFKX)
INVESCO Gold & Precious Metals Fund (Nasdaq:IGDAX; Nasdaq:IGDBX;
Nasdaq:IGDCX; Nasdaq:FGLDX)
INVESCO Health Sciences Fund (Nasdaq:IAHSX; Nasdaq:IBHSX;
Nasdaq:IHSCX; Nasdaq:FHLSX; Nasdaq:IHSKX)
INVESCO Leisure Fund (Nasdaq:ILSAX; Nasdaq:ILSBX; Nasdaq:IVLCX;
Nasdaq:FLISX; Nasdaq:ILEKX)
INVESCO Mid-Cap Growth Fund (Nasdaq:IMGAX; Nasdaq:IMGBX;
Nasdaq:IMGCX; Nasdaq:IVMIX; Nasdaq:PRMIX)
INVESCO Multi-Sector Fund (Nasdaq:IAMSX; Nasdaq:IBMSX;
Nasdaq:ICMSX)
AIM INVESCO S&P 500 Index Fund (Nasdaq:ISPIX)
INVESCO Small Company Growth Fund (Nasdaq:ISGAX; Nasdaq:ISGBX;
Nasdaq:ISGCX; Nasdaq:FIEGX; Nasdaq:ISCKX)
INVESCO Technology Fund (Nasdaq:ITYAX; Nasdaq:ITYBX;
Nasdaq:ITHCX; Nasdaq:FTCHX; Nasdaq:ITHKX; Nasdaq:FTPIX)
INVESCO Total Return Fund (Nasdaq:IATRX; Nasdaq:IBTRX;
Nasdaq:ITRCX; Nasdaq:FSFLX)
INVESCO Utilities Fund (Nasdaq:IAUTX; Nasdaq:IBUTX;
Nasdaq:IUTCX; Nasdaq:FSTUX)
INVESCO Advantage Fund (Nasdaq:IADAX; Nasdaq:IADBX;
Nasdaq:IADCX)
INVESCO Balanced Fund (Nasdaq:IBLAX; Nasdaq:IBLBX; Nasdaq:IBFIX;
Nasdaq:IMABX; Nasdaq:IBLKX)
INVESCO European Fund (Nasdaq:IEUAX; Nasdaq:IEUBX; Nasdaq:IEUCX;
Nasdaq:FEURX; Nasdaq:IEUKX)
INVESCO Growth Fund (Nasdaq:IAGWX; Nasdaq:IBGWX; Nasdaq:IBGCX;
Nasdaq:FLRFX; Nasdaq:IGWKX)
INVESCO High-Yield Fund (Nasdaq:IAHYX; Nasdaq:IBHYX;
Nasdaq:IHYCX; Nasdaq:FHYPX; Nasdaq:IHYKX)
INVESCO Growth & Income Fund, (Nasdaq:IGIAX; Nasdaq:IGIBX;
Nasdaq:IGRCX; Nasdaq:IVGIX; Nasdaq:IGIKX)
INVESCO International Blue Chip Value Fund (Nasdaq:IBVAX;
Nasdaq:IBVBX; Nasdaq:IBVCX; Nasdaq:IIBCX)
INVESCO Real Estate Opportunity Fund (Nasdaq:IAREX;
Nasdaq:IBREX; Nasdaq:IRECX; Nasdaq:IVSRX)
INVESCO Select Income Fund (Nasdaq:IASIX; Nasdaq:IBSIX;
Nasdaq:ISICX; Nasdaq:FBDSX; Nasdaq:ISIKX)
INVESCO Tax-Free Bond Fund (Nasdaq:IXBAX; Nasdaq:IXBBX;
Nasdaq:ITFCX; Nasdaq:FTIFX; Nasdaq:IVTIX)
INVESCO Telecommunications Fund (Nasdaq:ITLAX; Nasdaq:ITLBX;
Nasdaq:INTCX; Nasdaq:ISWCX; Nasdaq:ITEKX)
INVESCO U.S. Government Securities Fund (Nasdaq:IGVAX;
Nasdaq:IGVBX; Nasdaq:IUGCX; Nasdaq:FBDGX)
INVESCO Value Fund (Nasdaq:IAVEX; Nasdaq:IBVEX; Nasdaq:IVACX;
Nasdaq:FSEQX)
The Complaint charges Invesco, Amvescap, AIM Management Group, Inc., AIM Stock Funds, AIM Stock Funds, Inc., Invesco Stock Funds, Inc., Edward Stern, Canary Investment Management, LLC, Canary Partners Ltd., Canary Partners, LLC ("collectively "Canary"), and Doe Defendants with violating the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Investment Company Act of 1940, and with common law breach of fiduciary duties.
Much Shelist is currently investigating these claims. If you wish to discuss your rights and interests, or if you have information relevant to the lawsuit, you may contact Carol V. Gilden or Louis A. Kessler at Much Shelist Freed Denenberg Ament & Rubenstein, P.C., by calling a toll-free number 1-800-470-6824, or by sending an e-mail to, investorhelp@muchshelist.com . Your e-mail should refer to INVESCO.
Specifically, it is alleged that during the Class Period, defendants failed to disclose that they improperly allowed certain favored investors, including Canary and the Doe defendants, to engage in the "market timing" of their transactions in the Funds. Market timing is short term, arbitrage trading that exploits inefficiencies in the way mutual funds are priced. Market timing injures long term mutual fund investors, who are not allowed to engage in such practices, by, among other things, diluting the profits they would otherwise receive and by concentrating their losses. According to the Complaint, favored investors were allowed to market time their transactions despite specific restrictions on these practices in the prospectuses of the Funds.
If you purchased, held or redeemed the Funds during the Class Period and if you meet certain other legal requirements, you may file a motion in the court where the lawsuit has been filed to serve as a lead plaintiff. You must file your motion no later than February 2, 2004.
A lead plaintiff is a representative party that acts on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. In order to be appointed lead plaintiff, the court must determine that the class member's claim is typical of the claims of other class members, and that the class member will adequately represent the class. Under certain circumstances, one or more class members may together serve as "lead plaintiff." Your ability to share in any recovery is not, however, affected by the decision whether or not to serve as a lead plaintiff. The requirements for serving as a lead plaintiff are set forth in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (15 U.S.C. Section 78u-4).
Much Shelist's history is one of experience, leadership and results. For more than 25 years, Much Shelist has represented plaintiffs in class action litigation in federal and state courts across the United States. The firm has successfully prosecuted cases involving securities fraud, antitrust violations, consumer fraud, unlawful business practices and insurance company fraud. Under Much Shelist's leadership, class members have obtained judgments and settlements in excess of $4 billion.
More information on this and other class actions can be found on the Class Action Newsline at, www.primezone.com/ca .