variations during fiscal 2009. Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, sales and marketing expenses increased in fiscal 2009 primarily due to higher salaries from increased headcount and higher amortization of intangible assets. These constant currency increases were partially offset by a reduction in our commissions and bonus expenses.

 

In both reported and constant currency, total new software license margin and margin as a percentage of revenues decreased as our total new software license expenses growth, in particular higher amortization of intangible assets, exceeded our revenues growth.

 

Fiscal 2008 Compared to Fiscal 2007:   New software license revenues growth was positively affected by foreign currency rate fluctuations of 7 percentage points in fiscal 2008. Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, new software license revenues grew in all major product lines and across all geographies, with database and middleware revenues contributing 55% to the increase in new software license revenues and applications revenues contributing 45%. Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, the Americas contributed 52%, EMEA contributed 39% and Asia Pacific contributed 9% to the increase in new software license revenues.

 

Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, database and middleware revenues grew 17% in fiscal 2008 as a result of increased demand for our database and middleware products as well as incremental revenues from acquired companies. Hyperion products contributed $103 million, BEA products contributed $93 million, Stellent products contributed $37 million, Tangosol products contributed $18 million and other recently acquired products contributed $2 million to the total database and middleware revenues growth in fiscal 2008.

 

On a constant currency basis, applications revenues increased 33% in fiscal 2008. Hyperion products contributed $199 million, Agile products contributed $58 million, Metasolv products contributed $14 million, and other recently acquired products contributed $42 million to the total applications revenues growth in fiscal 2008.

 

In reported currency, new software license revenues earned from transactions over $0.5 million grew by 42% in fiscal 2008 and increased from 46% of new software license revenues in fiscal 2007 to 51% in fiscal 2008.

 

Sales and marketing expenses were adversely impacted by 5 percentage points of unfavorable currency variations during fiscal 2008. Excluding the effect of currency rate fluctuations, sales and marketing expenses increased in fiscal 2008 primarily due to higher salaries, benefits and travel expenses resulting from increased headcount, higher commissions expenses associated with both increased revenues and headcount levels, and an increase in planned marketing program expenses. These increases were partially offset by a $42 million reduction in litigation related expenses resulting primarily from the settlement of certain legal matters during the third quarter of fiscal 2008.

 

Total new software license margin and margin as a percentage of revenues increased due to our new software licenses revenues growth rate and a