CUSTODY AND RELATED SERVICES (a) Subject to the terms hereof, each Fund hereby authorizes Custodian to hold any Securities received by it from time to time for the Fund's account. Custodian shall be entitled to utilize, subject to subsection (c) of this Section I, Depositories, Subcustodians, and, subject to subsection (d) of this Section 1, Foreign Depositories, to the extent possible in connection With its performance hereunder. Securities and cash held in a Depository or Foreign Depository will be held subject to the rules, terms and conditions of such entity .Securities and cash held through Subcustodians shall be held subject to the terms and conditions of Custodian's agreements with such Subcustodians. Subcustodians may be authorized to hold Securities in Foreign Depositories in which such Subcustodians participate. Unless otherwise required by local law or practice or a particular Subcustodian agreement, Securities deposited with a Subcustodian, a Depositary or a Foreign Depository Will be held in a commingled account, in the name of Custodian, holding only Securities held by Custodian as Custodian for its customers. Custodian shall identify on its books and records the Securities and cash belonging to the Fund, whether held directly or indirectly through Depositories, Foreign Depositories, or Subcustodians. Custodian shall, directly or indirectly, through Subcustodians, Depositories, or Foreign Depositories, endeavor, to the extent feasible, to hold Securities in the country or other jurisdiction in which the principal trading market for such Securities is located, where such Securities are to be presented for cancellation and/or payment and/or registration, or where such Securities are acquired. Custodian at any time may cease utilizing any Subcustodian and/or may replace a Subcustodian with a different Subcustodian (the “Replacement Subcustodian”). In the event Custodian selects a Replacement Subcustodian, Custodian shall not utilize such Replacement Subcustodian until after the Fund's foreign custody manager has determined that utilization of such Replacement Subcustodian satisfies the requirements of the' 40 Act and Rule 17f-5 thereunder.
(b) Unless Custodian has received a Certificate or Instructions to the contrary, Custodian shall hold Securities indirectly through a Subcustodian only if (i) the Securities are not subject to any right, charge, security interest, lien or claim of any kind in favor of such Subcustodian or its creditors or operators, including a receiver or trustee in bankruptcy or similar authority, except for a claim of payment for the safe custody or administration of Securities on behalf of a Fund by such Subcustodian, and (ii) beneficial ownership of the Securities is freely transferable without the payment of money or value other than for safe custody or administration.
(c) With respect to each Depository, Custodian (i) shall exercise due care in accordance with reasonable commercial standards in discharging its duties as a securities intermediary to obtain and thereafter maintain Securities or financial assets deposited or held in such Depository, and (ii) will provide, promptly upon request by a Fund, such reports as are available concerning the internal accounting controls and financial strength of Custodian.
(d) With respect to each Foreign Depository, Custodian shall exercise reasonable care, prudence, and diligence (i) to provide the Fund with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Foreign Depository, and (ii) to monitor such custody risks on a continuing basis and promptly notify the Fund of any material change in such risks. The Fund acknowledges and agrees that such analysis and monitoring shall be made on the basis of, and limited by, information gathered from Subcustodians or through publicly available information otherwise obtained by Custodian, and shall not include any evaluation of Country Risks. As used herein the term “Country Risks” shall mean with respect to any Foreign Depository: (a) the financial infrastructure of the country in which it is organized, (b) such country's prevailing custody and settlement practices, (c) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (d) such country's regulation of the banking or securities industry, (e) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations or fluctuations, and (f) market conditions which affect the order execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities.
Custody of Cash and Securities 1. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article and in Article VIII, the Fund will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Custodian all Securities and all money owned by it, at any time during the period of this Agreement, and shall specify with respect to such Securities and money the Series to which the same are specifically allocated, and the Custodian shall not be responsible for any Securities or money not so delivered. The Custodian shall physically segregate, keep and maintain the Securities of the Series separate and apart from each other Series and from other assets held by the Custodian. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, the Custodian will not be responsible for any Securities and money not actually received by it, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has engaged in willful misconduct with respect thereto. The Custodian will be entitled to reverse any credits of money made on the Fund's behalf where such credits have been previously made and money are not finally collected, unless the Custodian has been negligent or has engaged in willful misconduct with respect thereto. The Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, approving, authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going basis to deposit in the Book-Entry System all Securities eligible for deposit therein, regardless of the Series to which the same are specifically allocated and to utilize the Book-Entry System to the extent possible in connection with its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities and deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Prior to a deposit of Securities specifically allocated to a Series in any Depository, the Fund shall deliver to the Custodian a certified resolution of the Board of Trustees of the Fund, substantially in the form of Exhibit B hereto, approving, authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going basis until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate to deposit in such Depository all Securities specifically allocated to such Series eligible for deposit therein, and to utilize such Depository to the extent possible with respect to such Securities in connection with its performance hereunder, including, without limitation, in connection with settlements of purchases and sales of Securities, loans of Securities, and deliveries and returns of Securities collateral. Securities and money deposited in either the Book-Entry System or a Depository will be represented in accounts which include only assets held by the Custodian for customers, including, but not limited to, accounts in which the Custodian acts in a fiduciary or representative capacity and will be specifically allocated on the Custodian's books to the separate account for the applicable Series. Prior to the Custodian's accepting, utilizing and acting with respect to Clearing Member confirmations for Options and transactions in Options for a Series as provided in this Agreement, the Custodian shall have received a certified resolution of the Fund's Board of Trustees, substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto, approving, authorizing and instructing the Custodian on a continuous and on-going basis, until instructed to the contrary by a Certificate, to accept, utilize and act in accordance with such confirmations as provided in this Agreement with respect to such Series. All securities are to be held or disposed of by the Custodian for, and subject at all times to the instructions of, the Fund pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Custodian shall have no power or authority to assign, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise dispose of any Securities except as provided by the terms of this Agreement, and shall have the sole power to release and deliver Securities held pursuant to this Agreement.
2. The Custodian shall establish and maintain separate accounts, in the name of each Series, and shall credit to the separate account for each Series all money received by it for the account of the Fund with respect to such Series. Such money will be held in such manner and account as the Fund and the Custodian shall agree upon in writing from time to time. Money credited to a separate account for a Series shall be subject only to drafts, orders, or charges of the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement and shall be disbursed by the Custodian only:
(a) As hereinafter provided;
(b) Pursuant to Resolutions of the Fund's Board of Trustees certified by an Officer and by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Fund setting forth the name and address of the person to whom the payment is to be made, the Series account from which payment is to be made, the purpose for which payment is to be made, and declaring such purpose to be a proper corporate purpose; provided, however, that amounts representing dividends or distributions with respect to Shares shall be paid only to the Transfer Agent Account;
(c) In payment of the fees and in reimbursement of the expenses and liabilities of the Custodian attributable to such Series and authorized by this Agreement; or
(d) Pursuant to Certificates to pay interest, taxes, management fees or operating expenses (including, without limitation thereto, Board of Trustees' fees and expenses, and fees for legal accounting and auditing services), which Certificates set forth the name and address of the person to whom payment is to be made, state the purpose of such payment and designate the Series for whose account the payment is to be made.
3. Promptly after the close of business on each day, the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with confirmations and a summary, on a per Series basis, of all transfers to or from the account of the Fund for a Series, either hereunder or with any co-custodian or sub-custodian appointed in accordance with this Agreement during said day. Where Securities are transferred to the account of the Fund for a Series but held in a Depository, the Custodian shall upon such transfer also by book-entry or otherwise identify such Securities as belonging to such Series in a fungible bulk of Securities registered in the name of the Custodian (or its nominee) or shown on the Custodian's account on the books of the Book-Entry System or the Depository. At least monthly and from time to time, the Custodian shall furnish the Fund with a detailed statement, on a per Series basis, of the Securities and money held under this Agreement for the Fund.
4. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph 7 of this Article and in Article VIII, all Securities held by the Custodian hereunder, which are issued or issuable only in bearer form, except such Securities as are held in the Book-Entry System, shall be held by the Custodian in that form; all other Securities held hereunder may be registered in the name of the Fund, in the name of any duly appointed registered nominee of the Custodian as the Custodian may from time to time determine, or in the name of the Book-Entry System or a Depository or their successor or successors, or their nominee or nominees. The Fund agrees to furnish to the Custodian appropriate instruments to enable the Custodian to hold or deliver in proper form for transfer, or to register in the name of its registered nominee or in the name of the Book-Entry System or a Depository any Securities which it may hold hereunder and which may from time to time be registered in the name of the Fund. The Custodian shall hold all such Securities specifically allocated to a Series which are not held in the Book-Entry System or in a Depository in a separate account in the name of such Series physically segregated at all times from those of any other person or persons.
5. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement and unless otherwise instructed to the contrary by a Certificate, the Custodian by itself, or through the use of the Book-Entry System or a Depository with respect to Securities held hereunder and therein deposited, shall with respect to all Securities held for the Fund hereunder in accordance with preceding paragraph 4:
(a) Promptly collect all income and dividends due or payable;
(b) Promptly give notice to the Fund and promptly present for payment and collect the amount of money or other consideration payable upon such Securities which are called, but only if either (i) the Custodian receives a written notice of such call, or (ii) notice of such call appears in one or more of the publications listed in Appendix D annexed hereto, which may be amended at any time by the Custodian without the prior consent of the Fund, provided the Custodian gives prior notice of such amendment to the Fund;
(c) Promptly present for payment and collect for the Fund's account the amount payable upon all Securities which mature;
(d) Promptly surrender Securities in temporary form in exchange for definitive Securities;
(e) Promptly execute, as custodian, any necessary declarations or certificates of ownership under the Federal Income Tax Laws or the laws or regulations of any other taxing authority now or hereafter in effect;
(f) Hold directly, or through the Book-Entry System or the Depository with respect to Securities therein deposited, for the account of a Series, all rights and similar securities issued with respect to any Securities held by the Custodian for such Series hereunder; and
(g) Promptly deliver to the Fund all notices, proxies, proxy soliciting materials, consents and other written information (including, without limitation, notices of tender offers and exchange offers, pendency of calls, maturities of Securities and expiration of rights) relating to Securities held pursuant to this Agreement which are actually received by the Custodian, such proxies and other similar materials to be executed by the registered holder (if Securities are registered otherwise than in the name of the Fund), but without indicating the manner in which proxies or consents are to be voted.
6. Upon receipt of a Certificate and not otherwise, the Custodian, directly or through the use of the Book-Entry System or the Depository, shall:
(a) Promptly execute and deliver to such persons as may be designated in such Certificate proxies, consents, authorizations, and any other instruments whereby the authority of the Fund as owner of any Securities held hereunder for the Series specified in such Certificate may be exercised;
(b) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the Series specified in such Certificate in exchange for other Securities or cash issued or paid in connection with the liquidation, reorganization, refinancing, merger, consolidation or recapitalization of any corporation, or the exercise of any right, warrant or conversion privilege and receive and hold hereunder specifically allocated to such Series any cash or other Securities received in exchange;
(c) Promptly deliver any Securities held hereunder for the Series specified in such Certificate to any protective committee, reorganization committee or other person in connection with the reorganization, refinancing, merger, consolidation, recapitalization or sale of assets of any corporation, and receive and hold hereunder specifically allocated to such Series in exchange therefor such certificates of deposit, interim receipts or other instruments or documents as may be issued to it to evidence such delivery or such Securities as may be issued upon such delivery; and
(d) Promptly present for payment and collect the amount payable upon Securities which may be called as specified in the Certificate.
7. Notwithstanding any provision elsewhere contained herein, the Custodian shall not be required to obtain possession of any instrument or certificate representing any Futures Contract, any Option, or any Futures Contract Option until after it shall have determined, or shall have received a Certificate from the Fund stating, that any such instruments or certificates are available. The Fund shall deliver to the Custodian such a Certificate no later than the business day preceding the availability of any such instrument or certificate. Prior to such availability, the Custodian shall comply with Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with the purchase, sale, settlement, closing-out or writing of Futures Contracts, Options, or Futures Contract Options by making payments or deliveries specified in Certificates in connection with any such purchase, sale, writing, settlement or closing-out upon its receipt from a broker, dealer, or futures commission merchant of a statement or confirmation reasonably believed by the Custodian to be in the form customarily used by brokers, dealers, or futures commission merchants with respect to such Futures Contracts, Options, or Futures Contract Options, as the case may be, confirming that such Security is held by such broker, dealer or futures commission merchant, in book-entry form or otherwise, in the name of the Custodian (or any nominee of the Custodian) as custodian for the Fund, provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, payments to or deliveries from the Margin Account and payments with respect to Securities to which a Margin Account relates, shall be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Margin Account Agreement. Whenever any such instruments or certificates are available, the Custodian shall, notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, make payment for any Futures Contract, Option, or Futures Contract Option for which such instruments or such certificates are available only against the delivery to the Custodian of such instrument or such certificate, and deliver any Futures Contract, Option or Futures Contract Option for which such instruments or such certificates are available only against receipt by the Custodian of payment therefor. Any such instrument or certificate delivered to the Custodian shall be held by the Custodian hereunder in accordance with, and subject to, the provisions of this Agreement.
