<body.content> <block> <p>NEW YORK, Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ — The law firm of Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP announces that a class action lawsuit was filed in theSouthern District of New York on October 2, 2003, on behalf of purchasers of the securities of the AllianceBernstein family of funds (the “Funds”) owned and operated by Alliance Capital ManagementHolding L.P. , and its subsidiaries and other affiliates, between October 2, 1998 and September 29, 2003, inclusive, (the “Class Period”), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Exchange Actof 1934, the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. A copy of the complaint filed in this action is available from the Court, or can be viewed on Milberg Weiss’ website at:http://www.milberg.com/cases/alliancefunds/.</p> <p>You can get more information about alleged fraud in the mutual fund and hedge fund industries, and Milberg Weiss’ prosecution of suchmatters on behalf of mutual fund investors, by visiting the following websites: <a>http://www.mutualfundslitigation.com/</a> and<a>http://www.mutualfundfraud.net/</a>.</p> <p>The Funds, and the symbols for the respective Funds named below, are as follows:</p> <p style=”pre” id=”pre1″> U.S.Stock Funds
AllianceBernstein Growth & Income Fund (Sym: CABDX, CBBDX, CBBCX)
AllianceBernstein Health Care Fund (Sym: AHLAX, AHLBX, AHLCX)
AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund (Sym: ADGAX, ADGBX, ADGCX)
AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth (Sym: CHCAX, CHCBX, CHCCX)
AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund (Sym: AREAX, AREBX, ARECX)
AllianceBernstein Growth Fund (Sym: AGRFX, AGBBX, AGRCX)
AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Biotechnology Portfolio
(Sym: ASBAX, AIBBX, ASBCX)
AllianceBernstein Small CapValue Fund (Sym: ABASX, ABBSX, ABCSX)
AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund (Sym: APGAX, APGBX APGCX)
AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Technology Portfolio
(Sym AITAX, AITBX, AITCX)
AllianceBernstein Value Fund (Sym: ABVAX, ABVBX, ABVCX)
AllianceBernstein Quasar Fund (Sym: QUASX, QUABX, QUACX)
AllianceBernstein Technology Fund (Sym: ALTFX, ATEBX, ATECX)
AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Premier Portfolio
(Sym: ASPAX, ASPBX, ASPCX)
AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund (Sym: AUIAX, AUIBX, AUICX)
Value Funds
AllianceBernstein Balanced Shares (Sym: CABNX, CABBX, CBACX)
AllianceBernstein Disciplined Value Fund (Sym: ADGAX, ADGBX, ADGCX)
AllianceBernstein Global Value Fund (Sym: ABAGX, ABBGX, ABCGX)
AllianceBernstein International Value Fund (Sym: ABIAX, ABIBX, ABICX)
AllianceBernstein Real Estate Investment Fund (Sym: AREAX, AREBX, ARECX)
AllianceBernstein Small Cap Value Fund (Sym: ABASX, ABBSX, ABCSX)
AllianceBernstein Utility Income Fund (Sym: AUIAX, AUIBX, AUICX)
AllianceBernstein Value Fund (Sym: ABVAX, ABVBX, AVBCX)
Blended Style Series
AllianceBernstein Blended Style Series – U.S. Large Cap Portfolio
(Sym: ABBAX, ABBAX, ABBCX)
Global & International Stock Funds
AllianceBernstein All-Asia Investment Fund (Sym: AALAX, AAABX, AAACX)
AllianceBernstein Global Value Fund (Sym: ABAGX, ABBGX, ABCGX)
AllianceBernstein Greater China ’97 Fund (Sym: GCHAX, GCHBX, GCHCX)
AllianceBernstein International Premier Growth Fund
(Sym: AIPAX, AIPBX, AIPCX)
AllianceBernstein International Value Fund (Sym: ABIAX, ABIBX, ABICX)
AllianceBernstein Global Small Cap Fund (Sym: GSCAX, AGCBX, GSCCX)
AllianceBernstein New Europe Fund (Sym: ANEAX, ANEBX, ANECX)
AllianceBernstein Worldwide Privatization Fund (Sym: AWPAX, AWPBX, AWPCX)
Select Investor Series
AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Biotechnology Portfolio
(Sym: ASBAX, AIBBX, ASBCX)
AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Premier Portfolio (Sym: ASPAX,
ASPBX, ASPCX) AllianceBernstein Select Investor Series Technology
Portfolio (Sym: AITAX, AITBX, AITCX)
Taxable Bond Funds
AllianceBernstein Americas Government Income Trust
(Sym: ANAGX, ANABX, ANACX)
AllianceBernstein Bond Fund Corporate Bond Portfolio
(Sym: CBFAX, CBFBX, CBFCX)
AllianceBernstein Bond Fund Quality Bond Portfolio
(Sym: ABQUX, ABQBX, ABQCX)
AllianceBernstein Bond Fund U.S. Government Portfolio
(Sym: ABUSX, ABUBX ABUCX)
AllianceBernstein Emerging Market Debt Fund (Sym: AGDAX, AGDBX, AGDCX)
AllianceBernstein Global Strategic Income Trust
(Sym: AGSAX, AGSBX, AGCCX)
AllianceBernstein High Yield Fund (Sym: AHYAX, AHHBX, AHHCX)
AllianceBernstein Multi-Market Strategy Trust (Sym: AMMSX, AMMBX, AMMCX)
AllianceBernstein Short Duration (Sym: ADPAX, ADPBX, ADPCX)
Tax-Exempt Bond Funds
AllianceBernstein Intermediate California Muni Portfolio
(Sym: AICBX, ACLBX, ACMCX)
AllianceBernstein Intermediate Diversified Muni Portfolio
(Sym: AIDAX, AIDBX, AIMCX)
AllianceBernstein Intermediate New York Muni Portfolio:
(Sym: ANIAX, ANYBX, ANMCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund National Portfolio
(Sym: ALTHX, ALTBX, ALNCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Arizona Portfolio
(Sym: AAZAX, AAZBX, AAZCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund California Portfolio
(Sym: ALCAX, ALCBX, ACACX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Insured California Portfolio
(Sym: BUICX, BUIBX, BUCCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Insured National Portfolio
(Sym: CABTX, CBBBX, CACCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Florida Portfolio
(Sym: AFLAX, AFLBX, AFLCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Massachusetts Portfolio
(Sym: AMAAX, AMABX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Michigan Portfolio
(Sym: AMIAX, AMIBX, AMICX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Minnesota Portfolio
(Sym: AMNAX, AMNBX, AMNCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund New Jersey Portfolio
(Sym: ANJAX, ANJBX, ANJCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund New York Portfolio
(Sym: ALNYX, ALNBX, ANYCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Ohio Portfolio
(Sym: AOHAX, AOHBX, AOHCX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Pennsylvania Portfolio
(Sym: APAAX, APABX, APACX)
AllianceBernstein Muni Income Fund Virginia Portfolio
(Sym: AVAAX, AVABX, AVACX)
</p> <p>Investors in the State of Rhode Island 529 Plan, known as the CollegeBoundfund(SM), may have invested in one or more of the funds listed below:</p> <p style=”pre” id=”pre2″> AllianceBernstein Growth & Income Fund
AllianceBernstein Mid-Cap Growth Fund
AllianceBernstein Premier Growth Fund
AllianceBernstein Quasar Fund
AllianceBernstein Technology Fund
AllianceBernstein Quality Bond Portfolio
AllianceBernstein International Value Fund
AllianceBernstein Small Cap Value Fund
AllianceBernstein Value Fund
</p> <p>The action, numbered 03-CV-7765, is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, against defendants Alliance Capital Management Holding L.P., Alliance Capital Management Corporation, Alliance Capital Management, L.P., AXA Financial, Inc., each of the registrants for the Funds, Gerald Malone, Charles Schaffran, Edward J. Stern, Canary Capital Partners, LLC, Canary Investment Management, LLC, Canary Capital Partners, Ltd, each of the Funds, and John Does 1-100.</p> <p>The Complaint alleges that defendants violated Sections 11 and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933; Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder; and Section 206 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. The Complaint charges that, throughout the Class Period, certain of the defendants failed to disclose that they improperly allowed certain hedge funds, including Canary and certain Alliance hedge funds, to engage in “late trading” and “timing” of the Funds’ securities. Late trades are trades received after 4:00 p.m. EST that are filled based on that day’s net asset value, as opposed to being filled based on the next day’s net asset value, which is the proper procedure under SEC regulations. Late trading allows favored investors to make use of market-moving information that only becomes available after 4 P.M and has been compared to betting on a horse race that already has been run. Timing is excessive, arbitrage trading undertaken to turn a quick profit and which ordinary investors are told that the funds police. Late trading and timing injure ordinary mutual fund investors — who are not allowed to engage in such practices — and are acknowledged as improper practices by the Funds. In return for receiving extra fees from Canary and other favored investors, Alliance Capital Management Holding and its subsidiaries allowed and facilitated Canary’s timing and late trading activities, to the detriment of class members, who paid, dollar for dollar, for Canary’s improper profits. These practices were undisclosed in the prospectuses of the Funds, which falsely represented that the Funds actively police against timing and represented that post-4 P.M. EST trades will be priced based on the next day’s net asset value and that premature redemptions will be assessed a charge. If</p> <p>you bought the securities of any of the Funds between October 2, 1998 and September 29, 2003 and sustained damages, you may, no later than December 1, 2003, request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. 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. You may retain Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP, or other counsel of your choice, to serve as your counsel in this action.</p> <p>Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP (<a>http://www.milberg.com/</a>) is a 190-lawyer firm with offices in New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Boca Raton, Philadelphia and Seattle, and is active in major litigations pending in federal and state courts throughout the United States. Milberg Weiss has taken a leading role in many important actions on behalf of defrauded investors, consumers, and others, and has been responsible for more than $20 billion in aggregate recoveries. Please contact the Milberg Weiss website for more information about the firm. If you wish to discuss this action with us, or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights and interests with regard to the case, please contact the following attorneys: </p> <datasource>Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP</datasource> </block> <block class=”contact”> <p>CONTACT: Steven G. Schulman, Peter E. Seidman, or Andrei V. Rado, all of<br/>Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP, +1-800-320-5081, or<br/><virtloc idsrc=”dummy” value=”dummy”>[email protected]</virtloc> </p> </block> <block class=”website”> <p>Web site: <a>http://www.milberg.com/</a> </p> </block> </body.content>
