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CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT
THIS CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT dated March 20, 1995, between IDS
International Fund, Inc., a Minnesota Corporation (the
"Corporation") and American Express Trust Company, a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Minnesota with its
principal place of business at Minneapolis, Minnesota (the
"Custodian").
WHEREAS, the Corporation desires that its securities and cash be
hereafter held and administered by Custodian pursuant to the terms
of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein
made, the Corporation and the Custodian agree as follows:
Section 1. Definitions
The word "securities" as used herein shall be construed to include,
without being limited to, shares, stocks, treasury stocks,
including any stocks of this Corporation, notes, bonds, debentures,
evidences of indebtedness, options to buy or sell stocks or stock
indexes, certificates of interest or participation in any profit-
sharing agreements, collateral trust certificates, preorganization
certificates or subscriptions, transferable shares, investment
contracts, voting trust certificates, certificates of deposit for a
security, fractional or undivided interests in oil, gas or other
mineral rights, or any certificates of interest or participation
in, temporary or interim certificates for, receipts for, guarantees
of, or warrants or rights to subscribe to or purchase any of the
foregoing, acceptances and other obligations and any evidence of
any right or interest in or to any cash, property or assets and any
interest or instrument commonly known as a security. In addition,
for the purpose of this Custodian Agreement, the word "securities"
also shall include other instruments in which the Corporation may
invest including currency forward contracts and commodities such as
interest rate or index futures contracts, margin deposits on such
contracts or options on such contracts.
The words "custodian order" shall mean a request or direction,
including a computer printout, directed to the Custodian and signed
in the name of the Corporation by any two individuals designated in
the current certified list referred to in Section 2.
The word "facsimile" shall mean an exact copy or likeness which is
electronically transmitted for instant reproduction.
Section 2. Names, Titles and Signatures of Authorized Persons
The Corporation will certify to the Custodian the names and
signatures of its present officers and other designated persons
authorized on behalf of the Corporation to direct the Custodian by
custodian order as herein before defined. The Corporation agrees
that whenever any change occurs in this list it will file with the
Custodian a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an
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Assistant Secretary of the Corporation as having been duly adopted
by the Board of Directors or the Executive Committee of the Board
of Directors of the Corporation designating those persons currently
authorized on behalf of the Corporation to direct the Custodian by
custodian order, as herein before defined, and upon such filing (to
be accompanied by the filing of specimen signatures of the
designated persons) the persons so designated in said resolution
shall constitute the current certified list. The Custodian is
authorized to rely and act upon the names and signatures of the
individuals as they appear in the most recent certified list from
the Corporation which has been delivered to the Custodian as herein
above provided.
Section 3. Use of Subcustodians
The Custodian may make arrangements, where appropriate, with other
banks having not less than two million dollars aggregate capital,
surplus and undivided profits for the custody of securities. Any
such bank selected by the Custodian to act as subcustodian shall be
deemed to be the agent of the Custodian.
The Custodian also may enter into arrangements for the custody of
securities entrusted to its care through foreign branches of United
States banks; through foreign banks, banking institutions or trust
companies; through foreign subsidiaries of United States banks or
bank holding companies, or through foreign securities depositories
or clearing agencies (hereinafter also called, collectively, the
"Foreign Subcustodian" or indirectly through an agent, established
under the first paragraph of this section, if and to the extent
permitted by Section 17(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
and the rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder, any order issued by the Securities and Exchange
Commission, or any "no-action" letter received from the staff of
the Securities and Exchange Commission. To the extent the existing
provisions of the Custodian Agreement are consistent with the
requirements of such Section, rules, order or no-action letter,
they shall apply to all such foreign custodianships. To the extent
such provisions are inconsistent with or additional requirements
are established by such Section, rules, order or no-action letter,
the requirements of such Section, rules, order or no-action letter
will prevail and the parties will adhere to such requirements;
provided, however, in the absence of notification from the
Corporation of any changes or additions to such requirements, the
Custodian shall have no duty or responsibility to inquire as to any
such changes or additions.
Section 4. Receipt and Disbursement of Money
(1) The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate account or
accounts in the name of the Corporation or cause its agent to open
and maintain such account or accounts subject only to checks,
drafts or directives by the Custodian pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement. The Custodian or its agent shall hold in such account
or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by
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it from or for the account of the Corporation. The Custodian or
its agent shall make payments of cash to or for the account of the
Corporation from such cash only:
(a) for the purchase of securities for the portfolio of the
Corporation upon the receipt of such securities by the
Custodian or its agent unless otherwise instructed on
behalf of the Corporation;
(b) for the purchase or redemption of shares of capital stock
of the Corporation;
(c) for the payment of interest, dividends, taxes, management
fees, or operating expenses (including, without limitation
thereto, fees for legal, accounting and auditing services);
(d) for payment of distribution fees, commissions, or
redemption fees, if any;
(e) for payments in connection with the conversion, exchange or
surrender of securities owned or subscribed to by the
Corporation held by or to be delivered to the Custodian;
(f) for payments in connection with the return of securities
loaned by the Corporation upon receipt of such securities
or the reduction of collateral upon receipt of proper
notice;
(g) for payments for other proper corporate purposes;
(h) or upon the termination of this Agreement.
Before making any such payment for the purposes permitted under the
terms of items (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) or (g) of paragraph (1)
of this section, the Custodian shall receive and may rely upon a
custodian order directing such payment and stating that the payment
is for such a purpose permitted under these items (a), (b), (c),
(d), (e), (f) or (g) and that in respect to item (g), a copy of a
resolution of the Board of Directors or of the Executive Committee
of the Board of Directors of the Corporation signed by an officer
of the Corporation and certified by its Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary, specifying the amount of such payment, setting forth the
purpose to be a proper corporate purpose, and naming the person or
persons to whom such payment is made. Notwithstanding the above,
for the purposes permitted under items (a) or (f) of paragraph (1)
of this section, the Custodian may rely upon a facsimile order.
(2) The Custodian is hereby appointed the attorney-in-fact of the
Corporation to endorse and collect all checks, drafts or other
orders for the payment of money received by the Custodian for the
account of the Corporation and drawn on or to the order of the
Corporation and to deposit same to the account of the Corporation
pursuant to this Agreement.
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Section 5. Receipt of Securities
Except as permitted by the second paragraph of this section, the
Custodian or its agent shall hold in a separate account or
accounts, and physically segregated at all times from those of any
other persons, firms or corporations, pursuant to the provisions
hereof, all securities received by it for the account of the
Corporation. The Custodian shall record and maintain a record of
all certificate numbers. Securities so received shall be held in
the name of the Corporation, in the name of an exclusive nominee
duly appointed by the Custodian or in bearer form, as appropriate.
Subject to such rules, regulations or guidelines as the Securities
and Exchange Commission may adopt, the Custodian may deposit all or
any part of the securities owned by the Corporation in a securities
depository which includes any system for the central handling of
securities established by a national securities exchange or a
national securities association registered with the Securities and
Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or
such other person as may be permitted by the Commission, pursuant
to which system all securities of any particular class or series of
any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and
may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical
delivery of such securities.
All securities are to be held or disposed of by the Custodian for,
and subject at all times to the instructions of, the Corporation
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. The Custodian shall have
no power or authority to assign, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise
dispose of any such securities, except pursuant to the directive of
the Corporation and only for the account of the Corporation as set
forth in Section 6 of this Agreement.
Section 6. Transfer Exchange, Delivery, etc. of Securities
The Custodian shall have sole power to release or deliver any
securities of the Corporation held by it pursuant to this
Agreement. The Custodian agrees to transfer, exchange or deliver
securities held by it or its agent hereunder only:
(a) for sales of such securities for the account of the
Corporation, upon receipt of payment therefor;
(b) when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or
otherwise become payable;
(c) for examination upon the sale of any such securities in
accordance with "street delivery" custom which would include
delivery against interim receipts or other proper delivery
receipts;
(d) in exchange for or upon conversion into other securities
alone or other securities and cash whether pursuant to any
plan of
(e) merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or
readjustment, or otherwise;
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(f) for the purpose of exchanging interim receipts or temporary
certificates for permanent certificates;
(g) upon conversion of such securities pursuant to their terms
into other securities;
(h) upon exercise of subscription, purchase or other similar
rights represented by such securities; for loans of such
securities by the Corporation upon receipt of collateral; or
(i) for other proper corporate purposes.
As to any deliveries made by the Custodian pursuant to items (a),
(b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h), securities or cash received
in exchange therefore shall be delivered to the Custodian, its
agent, or to a securities depository. Before making any such
transfer, exchange or delivery, the Custodian shall receive a
custodian order or a facsimile from the Corporation requesting such
transfer, exchange or delivery and stating that it is for a purpose
permitted under Section 6 (whenever a facsimile is utilized, the
Corporation will also deliver an original signed custodian order)
and, in respect to item (i), a copy of a resolution of the Board of
Directors or of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors
of the Corporation signed by an officer of the Corporation and
certified by its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, specifying
the securities, setting forth the purpose for which such payment,
transfer, exchange or delivery is to be made, declaring such
purpose to be a proper corporate purpose, and naming the person or
persons to whom such transfer, exchange or delivery of such
securities shall be made.
Section 7. Custodian's Acts Without Instructions
Unless and until the Custodian receives a contrary custodian order
from the Corporation, the Custodian shall or shall cause its agent
to:
(a) present for payment all coupons and other income items held
by the Custodian or its agent for the account of the
Corporation which call for payment upon presentation and hold
all cash received by it upon such payment for the account of
the Corporation;
(b) present for payment all securities held by it or its agent
which mature or when called, redeemed, retired or otherwise
become payable;
(c) ascertain all stock dividends, rights and similar securities
to be issued with respect to any securities held by the
Custodian or its agent hereunder, and to collect and hold for
the account of the Corporation all such securities; and
(d) ascertain all interest and cash dividends to be paid to
security holders with respect to any securities held by the
Custodian or its agent, and to collect and hold such interest
and cash dividends for the account of the Corporation.
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Section 8. Voting and Other Action
Neither the Custodian nor any nominee of the Custodian shall vote
any of the securities held hereunder by or for the account of the
Corporation. The Custodian shall promptly deliver to the
Corporation all notices, proxies and proxy soliciting materials
with relation to such securities, such proxies to be executed by
the registered holder of such securities (if registered otherwise
than in the name of the Corporation), but without indicating the
manner in which such proxies are to be voted.
Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Corporation all written
information (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and
maturities of securities and expirations of rights in connection
therewith) received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities
being held for the Corporation. With respect to tender or exchange
offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Corporation
all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of
the securities whose tender or exchange is sought and from the
party (or his agents) making the tender or exchange offer.
Section 9. Transfer Taxes
The Corporation shall pay or reimburse the Custodian for any
transfer taxes payable upon transfers of securities made hereunder,
including transfers resulting from the termination of this
Agreement. The Custodian shall execute such certificates in
connection with securities delivered to it under this Agreement as
may be required, under any applicable law or regulation, to exempt
from taxation any transfers and/or deliveries of any such
securities which may be entitled to such exemption.
Section 10. Custodian's Reports
The Custodian shall furnish the Corporation as of the close of
business each day a statement showing all transactions and entries
for the account of the Corporation. The books and records of the
Custodian pertaining to its actions as Custodian under this
Agreement and securities held hereunder by the Custodian shall be
open to inspection and audit by officers of the Corporation,
internal auditors employed by the Corporation's investment adviser,
and independent auditors employed by the Corporation. The
Custodian shall furnish the Corporation in such form as may
reasonably be requested by the Corporation a report, including a
list of the securities held by it in custody for the account of the
Corporation, identification of any subcustodian, and identification
of such securities held by such subcustodian, as of the close of
business of the last business day of each month, which shall be
certified by a duly authorized officer of the Custodian. It is
further understood that additional reports may from time to time be
requested by the Corporation. Should any report ever be filed with
any governmental authority pertaining to lost or stolen securities,
the Custodian will concurrently provide the Corporation with a copy
of that report.
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The Custodian also shall furnish such reports on its systems of
internal accounting control as the Corporation may reasonably
request from time to time.
Section 11. Concerning Custodian
For its services hereunder the Custodian shall be paid such
compensation at such times as may from time to time be agreed on in
writing by the parties hereto in a Custodian Fee Agreement.
The Custodian shall not be liable for any action taken in good
faith upon any custodian order or facsimile herein described or
certified copy of any resolution of the Board of Directors or of
the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the
Corporation, and may rely on the genuineness of any such document
which it may in good faith believe to have been validly executed.
The Corporation agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Custodian and
its nominee from all taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims
and liabilities (including counsel fees) incurred or assessed
against it or its nominee in connection with the performance of
this Agreement, except such as may arise from the Custodian's or
its nominee's own negligent action, negligent failure to act or
willful misconduct. Custodian is authorized to charge any account
of the Corporation for such items. In the event of any advance of
cash for any purpose made by Custodian resulting from orders or
instructions of the Corporation, or in the event that Custodian or
its nominee shall incur or be assessed any taxes, charges,
expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the
performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from its or
its nominee's own negligent action, negligent failure to act or
willful misconduct, any property at any time held for the account
of the Corporation shall be security therefor.
The Custodian shall maintain a standard of care equivalent to that
which would be required of a bailee for hire and shall not be
liable for any loss or damage to the Corporation resulting from
participation in a securities depository unless such loss or damage
arises by reason of any negligence, misfeasance, or willful
misconduct of officers or employees of the Custodian, or from its
failure to enforce effectively such rights as it may have against
any securities depository or from use of an agent, unless such loss
or damage arises by reason of any negligence, misfeasance, or
willful misconduct of officers or employees of the Custodian, or
from its failure to enforce effectively such rights as it may have
against any agent.
Section 12. Termination and Amendment of Agreement
The Corporation and the Custodian mutually may agree from time to
time in writing to amend, to add to, or to delete from any
provision of this Agreement.
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The Custodian may terminate this Agreement by giving the
Corporation ninety days' written notice of such termination by
registered mail addressed to the Corporation at its principal place
of business.
The Corporation may terminate this Agreement at any time by written
notice thereof delivered, together with a copy of the resolution of
the Board of Directors authorizing such termination and certified
by the Secretary of the Corporation, by registered mail to the
Custodian.
Upon such termination of this Agreement, assets of the Corporation
held by the Custodian shall be delivered by the Custodian to a
successor custodian, if one has been appointed by the Corporation,
upon receipt by the Custodian of a copy of the resolution of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation certified by the Secretary,
showing appointment of the successor custodian, and provided that
such successor custodian is a bank or trust company, organized
under the laws of the United States or of any State of the United
States, having not less than two million dollars aggregate capital,
surplus and undivided profits. Upon the termination of this
Agreement as a part of the transfer of assets, either to a
successor custodian or otherwise, the Custodian will deliver
securities held by it hereunder, when so authorized and directed by
resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, to a duly
appointed agent of the successor custodian or to the appropriate
transfer agents for transfer of registration and delivery as
directed. Delivery of assets on termination of this Agreement
shall be effected in a reasonable, expeditious and orderly manner;
and in order to accomplish an orderly transition from the Custodian
to the successor custodian, the Custodian shall continue to act as
such under this Agreement as to assets in its possession or
control. Termination as to each security shall become effective
upon delivery to the successor custodian, its agent, or to a
transfer agent for a specific security for the account of the
successor custodian, and such delivery shall constitute effective
delivery by the Custodian to the successor under this Agreement.
In addition to the means of termination herein before authorized,
this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding shares of the Corporation and after
written notice of such action to the Custodian.
Section 13. General
Nothing expressed or mentioned in or to be implied from any
provision of this Agreement is intended to, or shall be construed
to give any person or corporation other than the parties hereto,
any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect
of this Agreement, or any covenant, condition or provision herein
contained, this Agreement and all of the covenants, conditions and
provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns.
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This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
Minnesota.
This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements between the parties.
IDS INTERNATIONAL FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxx
Xxxxxx X. Xxx
Vice President
AMERICAN EXPRESS TRUST COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxx Xxxxx
Vice President
