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Title: |
Master Custodian Agreement |
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Date: |
2007 |
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Preview shows 22KB of 113KB total |
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$69 |
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ID: |
#2797367 |
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MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
This Agreement is made as of January 1, 2007 by and among each management investment company identified on Appendix A hereto, each such investment company acting on its own behalf separately from all of the other investment companies and not jointly or jointly and severally with any of the other investment companies (each such investment company and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21.5 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a Fund), and STATE STREET BANK and TRUST COMPANY, a Massachusetts trust company (the Custodian).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, each Fund is authorized to issue common stock or shares of beneficial interest (Shares), and some Funds are authorized to issue Shares in separate series, with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, as more particularly identified on Appendix A hereto (each such series and each series made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 21.6 below shall hereinafter be referred to as a Portfolio with respect to that Fund, but for any Fund that does not have any separate series, then any reference to Portfolio is a reference to that Fund);
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
SECTION 1. EMPLOYMENT OF CUSTODIAN AND PROPERTY TO BE HELD BY IT
Each Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of assets of the Portfolios, including securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, desires to be held in places within the United States (domestic securities) and securities it desires to be held outside the United States (foreign securities). Each Fund, on behalf of its Portfolio(s), agrees to deliver to the Custodian all securities and cash of the Portfolios (other than any securities or cash of the Portfolios held by a futures commission merchant or commodity clearing organization pursuant to Rule 17f-6 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the 1940 Act)), and all payments of income, payments of principal or capital distributions received by it with respect to all securities owned by the Portfolio(s) from time to time, and the cash consideration received by it for such Shares as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Portfolio held or received by the Portfolio but not delivered to the Custodian or which is delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions or Special Instructions (as such terms are defined in Section 7 hereof). With respect to uncertificated shares (the Underlying Shares) of registered investment companies (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the 1940 Act) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the Underlying Portfolios), whether in the same group of investment companies (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act) or otherwise, the holding of confirmation statements that identify the shares as being recorded in the Custodians name on behalf of the Portfolios will be deemed custody for purposes hereof.
Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s) from time to time employ as its agent one or more sub-custodians located in the United States, but only in accordance with an applicable vote by the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors of the Fund (as appropriate, and in each case, the Board) on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s). The Custodian may place and maintain each Funds foreign securities with Eligible Foreign Custodians employed by the Custodian and/or Foreign Securities Systems, all as designated in Schedules A and B hereto, but only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 3 and 4 hereof.
SECTION 2. DUTIES OF THE CUSTODIAN WITH RESPECT TO PROPERTY OF THE PORTFOLIOS TO BE HELD IN THE UNITED STATES
SECTION 2.1 HOLDING SECURITIES. The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all non-cash property to be held by it in the United States, including all domestic securities owned by such Portfolio other than (a) securities which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.8 in a clearing agency which acts as a securities depository or in a book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (each, a U.S. Securities System) and (b) Underlying Shares owned by each Fund on behalf of a Portfolio which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.10 hereof in an account with State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other entity which may from time to time act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions (the Underlying Transfer Agent).
SECTION 2.2 DELIVERY OF SECURITIES. The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian, whether held by the Custodian, in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases:
1) Upon sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio and receipt of payment therefor;
2) Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such securities entered into by the Portfolio;
3) In the case of a sale effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.8 hereof;
4) To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for securities of the Portfolio;
5) To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian;
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6) To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Portfolio or into the name of any nominee or nominees of the Custodian or into the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or into the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1; or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new securities are to be delivered to the Custodian;
7) Upon the sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio, to the broker or its clearing agent, against a receipt, for examination in accordance with street delivery custom; provided that in any such case, the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodians own negligence or willful misconduct;
8) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
9) In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian;
10) For delivery in connection with any loans of securities made by the Portfolio (a) against receipt of collateral as agreed from time to time by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, except that in connection with any loans for which collateral is to be credited to the Custodians account in the book-entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Custodian will not be held liable or responsible for the delivery of securities owned by the Portfolio prior to the receipt of such collateral or (b) to the lending agent, or the lending agents custodian, in accordance with written Proper Instructions (which may but need not provide for the receipt by the Custodian of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund;
11) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio but only against receipt of amounts borrowed;
12) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker-dealer that is both registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act), and a
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member of The National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the NASD), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;
13) For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian, and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the CFTC) and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio;
14) Upon the sale or other delivery of such investments, including, without limitation, to one or more (a) additional custodians appointed by the Fund, and communicated to the Custodian from time to time via a writing duly executed by an authorized officer of the Fund, for the purpose of engaging in repurchase agreement transactions(s), (each a Repo Custodian), or (b) Special Sub-Custodians, and prior to receipt of payment therefor, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such delivery in advance of payment, along with payment in advance of delivery made in accordance with Section 2.6(7), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a Free Trade), provided that such Proper Instructions shall set forth (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person(s) to whom delivery of such securities shall be made;
15) Upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund or the Funds transfer agent (the Transfer Agent) for delivery to such Transfer Agent or to the holders of Shares in connection with payments in kind, as may be described from time to time in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (the Prospectus), in satisfaction of requests by holders of Shares for repurchase or redemption;
16) In the case of a sale processed through the Underlying Transfer Agent of Underlying Shares, in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof;
17) For delivery as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and
18) For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio specifying (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made.
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SECTION 2.3 REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES. Domestic securities held by the Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered by the Custodian in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of the Custodian which nominee shall be assigned exclusively to the Portfolio, unless the Fund has authorized in writing the appointment of a nominee to be used in common with other registered management investment companies having the same investment adviser as the Portfolio, or in the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or in the name or nominee name of any sub-custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in street name or other good delivery form. If, however, a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities in street name, the Custodian shall utilize its best efforts only to timely collect income due the Fund on such securities and to notify the Fund on a best efforts basis only of relevant corporate actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers.
SECTION 2.4 BANK ACCOUNTS. The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio of each Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a bank account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f-3 under the 1940 Act. Cash held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by it to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its reasonable discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and that each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited therewith shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio be approved by vote of a majority of the Board. Such cash shall be deposited by the Custodian only in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity.
SECTION 2.5 COLLECTION OF INCOME. Except with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14) or purchased and not held pursuant to Section 2.6(7), and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to (a) registered domestic securities held hereunder to which each Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business if, on the record date for payment by the issuer, such securities are held hereunder, and (b) bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the Custodian or its agent, and, with respect to (a) and (b) above, shall credit such income, on the designated settlement date, as predetermined income, to such Portfolios custodian account. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian shall detach and present for payment all coupons and other income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities held hereunder. Income due each Portfolio on securities loaned pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 (10) shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection therewith, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is properly entitled. The Fund, or its duly authorized
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