Before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
APPLICATION FOR AN ORDER PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 6(C) AND 17(B) OF THE
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 EXEMPTING CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS FROM THE
PROVISIONS OF SECTION 17(A) OF THE ACT AND PURSUANT TO SECTION 17(D) OF
THE ACT AND RULE 17D-1 THEREUNDER PERMITTING CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
In the matter of application
of
MORGAN
STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY INVESTMENT ADVISORS INC.
VAN
KAMPEN ASSET MANAGEMENT
MORGAN STANLEY &
CO. INCORPORATED
MORGAN
STANLEY BALANCED FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY U.S. GOVERNMENT MONEY MARKET TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY DIVIDEND GROWTH SECURITIES INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT SECURITIES INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY SPECIAL GROWTH FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY GLOBAL DIVIDEND GROWTH SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY LIMITED TERM MUNICIPAL TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY TECHNOLOGY FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY SMALL-MID SPECIAL VALUE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY GLOBAL ADVANTAGE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY LIMITED DURATION U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS INSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS INSTITUTIONAL MONEY TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS MONEY TRUST
ACTIVE
ASSETS TAX-FREE TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY EQUALLY-WEIGHTED S&P 500 FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY SERIES FUNDS
MORGAN
STANLEY HEALTH SCIENCES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY SPECIAL VALUE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY STRATEGIST FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY HIGH YIELD SECURITIES INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY INTERNATIONAL VALUE EQUITY FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY LIQUID ASSET FUND INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY MID-CAP VALUE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY S&P 500 INDEX FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY FUNDAMENTAL VALUE FUND
1
MORGAN
STANLEY MID CAP GROWTH FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY PRIME INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY VALUE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY EUROPEAN EQUITY FUND INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY FLEXIBLE INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY INTERNATIONAL FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY MORTGAGE SECURITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY PACIFIC GROWTH FUND INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY CAPITAL OPPORTUNITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY REAL ESTATE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE DAILY INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY CALIFORNIA TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY FOCUS GROWTH FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY FX SERIES FUNDS
MORGAN
STANLEY NEW YORK MUNICIPAL MONEY MARKET TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY SELECT DIMENSIONS INVESTMENT SERIES
MORGAN
STANLEY TAX-EXEMPT SECURITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY TAX-FREE DAILY INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY GLOBAL INFRASTRUCTURE FUND
MORGAN
STANLEY VARIABLE INVESTMENT SERIES
MORGAN
STANLEY MUNICIPAL INCOME OPPORTUNITIES TRUST II
MORGAN
STANLEY MUNICIPAL INCOME OPPORTUNITIES TRUST III
MORGAN
STANLEY MUNICIPAL INCOME OPPORTUNITIES TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY MUNICIPAL PREMIUM INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY INCOME SECURITIES INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY CALIFORNIA INSURED MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY CALIFORNIA QUALITY MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY INSURED CALIFORNIA MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY INSURED MUNICIPAL BOND TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY INSURED MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY INSURED MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY INSURED MUNICIPAL TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY NEW YORK QUALITY MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY QUALITY MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY QUALITY MUNICIPAL INVESTMENT TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY QUALITY MUNICIPAL SECURITIES
MORGAN
STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL FUND TRUST
MORGAN
STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL LIQUIDITY FUNDS
MORGAN
STANLEY INSTITUTIONAL FUND, INC.
THE
UNIVERSAL INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY EMERGING MARKETS DOMESTIC DEBT FUND, INC.
THE
TURKISH INVESTMENT FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY ASIA-PACIFIC FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY CHINA A SHARE FUND, INC.
2
MORGAN
STANLEY EASTERN EUROPE FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY EMERGING MARKETS DEBT FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY EMERGING MARKETS FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY BOND FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY HIGH YIELD FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY INDIA INVESTMENT FUND, INC.
MORGAN
STANLEY FRONTIER EMERGING MARKETS FUND, INC.
THE
LATIN AMERICAN DISCOVERY FUND, INC.
THE
MALAYSIA FUND, INC.
THE
THAI FUND, INC.
VAN
KAMPEN EQUITY TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN MONEY MARKET FUND
VAN
KAMPEN CAPITAL GROWTH FUND
VAN
KAMPEN TAX FREE MONEY FUND
VAN
KAMPEN SERIES FUND, INC.
VAN
KAMPEN SENIOR LOAN FUND
VAN
KAMPEN CORPORATE BOND FUND
VAN
KAMPEN EQUITY TRUST II
VAN
KAMPEN HIGH YIELD FUND
VAN
KAMPEN TRUST
VAN KAMPEN PARTNERS TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN RETIREMENT STRATEGY TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND
VAN
KAMPEN PENNSYLVANIA TAX FREE INCOME FUND
VAN
KAMPEN TAX FREE TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN TRUST II
VAN
KAMPEN GROWTH AND INCOME FUND
VAN
KAMPEN TAX-EXEMPT TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN COMSTOCK FUND
VAN
KAMPEN ENTERPRISE FUND
VAN
KAMPEN EQUITY AND INCOME FUND
VAN
KAMPEN EXCHANGE FUND
VAN
KAMPEN HARBOR FUND
VAN
KAMPEN LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST
VAN
KAMPEN LIMITED DURATION FUND
VAN
KAMPEN REAL ESTATE SECURITIES FUND
VAN
KAMPEN U.S. GOVERNMENT TRUST
VAN KAMPEN SENIOR INCOME
TRUST
VAN KAMPEN ADVANTAGE
MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST II
VAN KAMPEN CALIFORNIA VALUE
MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
VAN KAMPEN DYNAMIC CREDIT
OPPORTUNITIES FUND
VAN KAMPEN MASSACHUSETTS
VALUE MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
VAN KAMPEN MUNICIPAL
OPPORTUNITY TRUST
VAN KAMPEN MUNICIPAL TRUST
VAN KAMPEN OHIO QUALITY
MUNICIPAL TRUST
VAN KAMPEN PENNSYLVANIA VALUE
MUNICIPAL INCOME TRUST
3
VAN KAMPEN SELECT SECTOR
MUNICIPAL TRUST
VAN KAMPEN TRUST FOR INSURED
MUNICIPALS
VAN KAMPEN TRUST FOR
INVESTMENT GRADE MUNICIPALS
VAN KAMPEN TRUST FOR
INVESTMENT GRADE NEW JERSEY MUNICIPALS
VAN KAMPEN TRUST FOR
INVESTMENT GRADE NEW YORK MUNICIPALS
VAN KAMPEN BOND FUND
VAN KAMPEN HIGH INCOME TRUST
II
CITIGROUP ALTERNATIVE
INVESTMENTS LLC
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
INC.
CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
LIMITED
CITIGROUP FINANCIAL PRODUCTS
INC.
CITIBANK, N.A.
CITIBANK CANADA
CITIBANK INTERNATIONAL PLC
LMP CORPORATE LOAN FUND INC.
File No. 812-13656
August 7,
2009
Copies to:
Stefanie
V. Chang Yu, Esq.
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Marianna
Maffucci
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Morgan
Stanley Investment Management Inc.
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Citigroup
Global Markets Inc.
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522
Fifth Avenue
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388
Greenwich Street, 17
th
Floor
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New
York, New York 10036
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New
York, New York 10013
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Communications,
copies and notice to:
Brian
M. Kaplowitz, Esq.
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Nora
M. Jordan, Esq.
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Sidley
Austin
LLP
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Davis
Polk & Wardwell
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787
Seventh Avenue
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450
Lexington Avenue
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New
York, New York 10019
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New
York, New York 10017
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This
Application consists of 89 pages (including Exhibits),
which have been numbered sequentially.
4
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
I.
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Summary of Application
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II.
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Description of the Applicants
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12
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A.
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The Funds
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12
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B.
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The Advisers
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13
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C.
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The Trading Entities
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14
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III.
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The Joint Venture
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A.
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Ownership of the Joint Venture
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B.
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The Contributed Businesses
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C.
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Governance of the Joint Venture
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IV.
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Separation Between the MS Entities and the Citi Entities
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V.
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Consolidation in the Financial Services Industry
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VI.
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The Securities Transactions
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26
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A.
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The Securities Transactions Generally
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26
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B.
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Joint Transactions
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VII.
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Relevant Provisions and Relief Requested
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33
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A.
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Relevant Provisions
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33
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B.
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Authority for the Order
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36
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C.
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Relief Requested
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VIII.
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Rationale for Relief
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IX.
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Precedent
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45
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X.
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Applicants Conditions
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49
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A.
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Structural
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B.
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Transactional
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52
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XI.
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Conclusion
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59
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XII.
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Procedural
Matters
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60
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5
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
before the
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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In
the Matter of
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Morgan
Stanley Investment Management Inc.
Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc.
Van Kampen Asset Management
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Morgan Stanley Balanced Fund
Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Money Market Trust
Morgan Stanley Dividend Growth Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley Natural Resource Development Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley Special Growth Fund
Morgan Stanley Global Dividend Growth Securities
Morgan Stanley Limited Term Municipal Trust
Morgan Stanley Technology Fund
Morgan Stanley Small-Mid Special Value Fund
Morgan Stanley Global Advantage Fund
Morgan Stanley Limited Duration U.S. Government Trust
Active Assets California Tax-Free Trust
Active Assets Government Securities Trust
Active Assets Institutional Government Securities Trust
Active Assets Institutional Money Trust
Active Assets Money Trust
Active Assets Tax-Free Trust
Morgan Stanley Equally-Weighted S&P 500 Fund
Morgan Stanley Series Funds
Morgan Stanley Health Sciences Trust
Morgan Stanley Special Value Fund
Morgan Stanley Strategist Fund
Morgan Stanley High Yield Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley International Value Equity Fund
Morgan Stanley Liquid Asset Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley Mid-Cap Value Fund
Morgan Stanley S&P 500 Index Fund
Morgan Stanley Convertible Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley Fundamental Value Fund
Morgan Stanley Mid Cap Growth Fund
Morgan Stanley Prime Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Value Fund
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Application
for an order pursuant to Sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 exempting certain transactions from the provisions of
Sections 17(a) of the Act and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder permitting certain transactions
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Morgan
Stanley European Equity Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley Flexible Income Trust
Morgan Stanley International Fund
Morgan Stanley Mortgage Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley Pacific Growth Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley Capital Opportunities Trust
Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund
Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free Daily Income Trust
Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free Income Fund
Morgan Stanley Focus Growth Fund
Morgan Stanley FX Series Funds
Morgan Stanley New York Municipal Money Market Trust
Morgan Stanley New York Tax-Free Income Fund
Morgan Stanley Select Dimensions Investment Series
Morgan Stanley Tax-Exempt Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley Tax-Free Daily Income Trust
Morgan Stanley U.S. Government Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley Global Infrastructure Fund
Morgan Stanley Variable Investment Series
Morgan Stanley Municipal Income Opportunities Trust II
Morgan Stanley Municipal Income Opportunities Trust III
Morgan Stanley Municipal Income Opportunities Trust
Morgan Stanley Municipal Premium Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Income Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley California Insured Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley California Quality Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured California Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured Municipal Bond Trust
Morgan Stanley Insured Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Insured Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured Municipal Trust
Morgan Stanley New York Quality Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Quality Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Quality Municipal Investment Trust
Morgan Stanley Quality Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund Trust
Morgan Stanley Institutional Liquidity Funds
Morgan Stanley Institutional Fund, Inc.
The Universal Institutional Funds, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Emerging Markets Domestic Debt Fund, Inc.
The Turkish Investment Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Asia-Pacific Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley China A Share Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Eastern Europe Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Emerging Markets Debt Fund, Inc.
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Morgan
Stanley Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Global Opportunity Bond Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley High Yield Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley India Investment Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Frontier Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
The Latin American Discovery Fund, Inc.
The Malaysia Fund, Inc.
The Thai Fund, Inc.
Van Kampen Equity Trust
Van Kampen Money Market Fund
Van Kampen Capital Growth Fund
Van Kampen Tax Free Money Fund
Van Kampen Series Fund, Inc.
Van Kampen Senior Loan Fund
Van Kampen Corporate Bond Fund
Van Kampen Equity Trust II
Van Kampen High Yield Fund
Van Kampen Trust
Van Kampen Partners Trust
Van Kampen Retirement Strategy Trust
Van Kampen Government Securities Fund
Van Kampen Pennsylvania Tax Free Income Fund
Van Kampen Tax Free Trust
Van Kampen Trust II
Van Kampen Growth and Income Fund
Van Kampen Tax-Exempt Trust
Van Kampen Comstock Fund
Van Kampen Enterprise Fund
Van Kampen Equity and Income Fund
Van Kampen Exchange Fund
Van Kampen Harbor Fund
Van Kampen Life Investment Trust
Van Kampen Limited Duration Fund
Van Kampen Real Estate Securities Fund
Van Kampen U.S. Government Trust
Van Kampen Senior Income Trust
Van Kampen Advantage Municipal Income Trust II
Van Kampen California Value Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Dynamic Credit Opportunities Fund
Van Kampen Massachusetts Value Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Municipal Opportunity Trust
Van Kampen Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Ohio Quality Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Pennsylvania Value Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Select Sector Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Trust for Insured Municipals
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Van
Kampen Trust for Investment Grade Municipals
Van Kampen Trust for Investment Grade New Jersey Municipals
Van Kampen Trust for Investment Grade New York Municipals
Van Kampen Bond Fund
Van Kampen High Income Trust II
Citigroup Alternative Investments LLC
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets Limited
Citigroup Financial Products, Inc.
Citibank, N.A.
Citibank Canada
Citibank International plc
LMP Corporate Loan Fund Inc.
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x
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I.
Summary
of Application
This Second Amended and Restated Application (Application) is
submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) on behalf
of the applicants named herein (the Applicants) pursuant to Sections 6(c) and
17(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Act), for
an order exempting securities transactions of the type described below from the
provisions of Sections 17(a) of the Act, and pursuant to Section 17(d) of
the Act and Rule 17d-1 under the Act permitting certain transactions. The Applicants are Morgan Stanley Investment
Management Inc., Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. and Van Kampen Asset
Management (each, a MS Adviser and collectively, the MS Advisers); the
Funds listed in Schedule A to this Application, which are advised by the MS
Advisers (the MS Funds); Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (MS &
Co.) (or its affiliates, together, the MS Trading Entity unless the context
otherwise requires); Citigroup Alternative Investments LLC (the Citi Adviser
and, together with the MS Advisers, the Advisers); LMP Corporate
9
Loan Fund Inc. (the LMP Fund) for which the
Citi Adviser currently acts as a sub-investment adviser; and Citigroup Global
Markets Inc. (CGMI), Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Citigroup Financial
Products Inc., Citibank, N.A., Citibank Canada or Citibank International plc as
relevant to the particular transaction (or their affiliates, together, the
Citi Trading Entity, unless the context otherwise requires, and, together
with the MS Trading Entity, the Trading Entities).
The Order sought herein would permit the MS Funds to engage in the
Securities Transactions (defined below) with the Citi Trading Entity and would
permit the Citi Funds (defined below) to engage in the Securities Transactions
with the MS Trading Entity. The Securities
Transactions that are the subject of the requested order (the Order) are: (1) primary
and secondary market transactions in fixed-income securities on a principal
basis (as discussed in section VI below) between the MS Funds and the Citi
Trading Entity and between the Citi Funds and the MS Trading Entity(1) and
(2) certain types of transactions (as discussed in section VI below) in
which the Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity and the MS Funds or the
Citi Funds, respectively, might each participate jointly or have a joint interest
(sometimes referred to as Joint Transactions). The Order would apply only under
circumstances in which the Citi Trading Entity might be deemed an affiliated
person of an affiliated person (a second-tier affiliate) of a MS Fund (or the
MS Trading Entity deemed a second-tier affiliate of a Citi Fund) solely as a
result of the formation of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Holdings LLC (MSSB or
the Joint Venture), a joint venture to which each of Citigroup Inc.
(Citigroup) and Morgan Stanley, the parent company of the MS Advisers and MS
Trading Entity (Morgan
(1) Fixed-income securities for purposes of
the Order include interests in syndicated loans (including loans made directly
as a syndicate member, or the acquisition of a loan interest in the form of an
assignment or participation), as well as convertible bonds and convertible
preferred stock.
10
Stanley), have contributed certain
businesses. The Order requested herein
is subject to certain conditions, as more fully described below.
Applicants seek to extend the Order requested to (i) any open-end
or closed-end investment company registered under the Act, whether now existing
or organized in the future, that is advised by any Adviser or by any existing
or future investment adviser controlling, controlled by or under common control
with Morgan Stanley or Citigroup other than MSSB(2) (such a fund, when
advised by a Citigroup entity, is hereafter referred to together with the LMP
Fund as a Citi Fund and, together with the MS Funds, the Funds), (ii) the
Advisers and any existing or future investment adviser controlling, controlled
by or under common control with Morgan Stanley or Citigroup other than MSSB and
(iii) the Trading Entities and any existing or future entity controlling,
controlled by or under common control with Citigroup or Morgan Stanley other
than MSSB, provided that any entity that relies on the Order complies with the
terms and conditions set forth in this Application as though it were an
Applicant.
Applicants request relief hereunder only for transactions that would be
restricted by Sections 17(a) and 17(d) of the Act, and Rule 17d-1
thereunder, solely because of Citigroups and Morgan Stanleys direct or
indirect interest in MSSB. The relief
sought hereunder will not apply where a Trading Entity is an affiliated person
or a second-tier affiliate of a Fund for reasons other than such interest. Additionally, the relief sought hereunder
will not apply if the transactions would be restricted by the above provisions
because a Trading Entity is a principal underwriter or promoter of a Fund. No fund advised or promoted by MSSB, or for
which MSSB
(2) Pursuant to a Joint Venture Contribution
and Formation Agreement (the JV Agreement), Morgan Stanley contributed to the
Joint Venture its global wealth management (retail brokerage) and private
wealth management businesses, which businesses currently operate and will in
the future operate independent of the MS Advisers, as described herein. Citigroup contributed to the Joint Venture
its retail brokerage and futures business operated under the name Smith
Barney in the United States and Australia and operated under the name
Quilter in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Channel Islands.
11
acts as principal underwriter, would be
covered by the Order.(3) The proposed Order will not apply to
transactions between the MS Funds and any Morgan Stanley controlled entity or
to transactions between the Citi Funds and any Citigroup controlled entity.
(4)
II.
Description
of the Applicants
A.
The
Funds
Each Fund is an open-end or closed-end management investment company
registered under the Act and is organized as a statutory trust, business trust
or corporation under the laws of Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts or
Pennsylvania.(5) The Funds have a variety of investment objectives, but
each may to a greater or lesser degree invest a portion of its assets in
fixed-income securities. (For the sake
of simplicity, while there are no Citi Funds currently other than the LMP Fund,
this Application generally will use the present tense for both the MS Funds and
the Citi Funds.)
The fixed-income securities in which the Funds may invest include, but
are not limited to, government securities, municipal securities, tender option
bonds, taxable and tax-exempt money market securities, repurchase agreements,
asset- and mortgage-backed securities, corporate issues and syndicated loans
(including assignments thereof and participations therein), each as the Funds
respective investment policies allow.
(3) MSSB may act as principal underwriter for
new closed-end MS or Citi Funds.
However, such role will cease at the time the syndicate terminates and
prior to any transactions by such Fund involving the opposite Trading Entity.
(4) Morgan Stanley presently has an exemptive
order to, among other things, permit its broker-dealer subsidiary, MS&Co.
Incorporated, to engage in principal transactions in taxable and tax-exempt
money market instruments with the MS Funds.
Investment Company Act Release No. 28150 (Feb. 13, 2008).
(5) The Van Kampen Exchange Fund is a
California limited partnership and is managed by a Board of General Partners.
12
B.
The
Advisers
The MS Advisers are direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of
Morgan Stanley, a Delaware corporation.
Morgan Stanley is a leading global financial services firm whose
business activities include securities trading and brokerage activities,
investment banking, research and analysis, financing and financial advisory
services. Each MS Adviser is registered
as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended
(the Advisers Act). The MS Advisers act as investment advisers to
each of the MS Funds and may supervise one or more affiliated or unaffiliated
sub-advisers with respect to certain MS Funds.
The Citi Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup, a
Delaware corporation. Citigroup, a
leading global financial services company, has some 200 million customer
accounts and does business in more than 100 countries, providing consumers,
corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial
products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and
investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. The Citi Adviser is registered as an
investment adviser under the Advisers Act.
The Citi Adviser acts as sub-investment adviser to the LMP Fund and may,
as noted above, act in the future as adviser to such registered investment
companies as may otherwise exist or are organized subsequently.
Each Fund and its Adviser have entered into an investment management
agreement pursuant to which the Adviser is responsible for managing the Funds
investment portfolio, subject to the supervision of the Board of Directors,
Board of Trustees or other governing body of such Fund, as applicable (each, a
Board), making investment decisions on behalf of the Fund and placing its
transactions.
Each of the MS Advisers and the Citi Adviser have adopted
confidentiality policies designed to limit the unnecessary flow of information
about client holdings and transactions.
13
Such policies have been extended to prevent
unnecessary information sharing between MSSB and each of the MS Advisers and the
Citi Adviser. For example, the MS
Advisers and the Citi Adviser have each adopted policies designed to keep
information about client holdings and transactions on a confidential basis,
prior to any public disclosure. Pursuant
to these policies, information regarding investment advisory and portfolio
execution matters relating to the MS Funds and the Citi Funds are considered by
the MS Advisers and the Citi Adviser, respectively, as information that may not
be communicated outside of such Adviser except as necessary (
e.g.
, to a potential executing broker or dealer on an actual
trade), including to MSSB. In general,
prior to any public disclosure and consistent with an Advisers fiduciary duty
to the Fund, information concerning Fund portfolio holdings is considered
confidential and may only be shared by a Funds Adviser for a legitimate
business purpose with certain types of parties and then, upon prior approval by
the Funds Board or by a committee set up to evaluate such circumstances. Additionally, information barriers are in
place to prevent the dissemination of confidential information between
affiliates, such as between the MS Advisers and other MS Entities (as defined
below) or between the Citi Adviser and other Citi Entities (as defined below), respectively.
C.
The
Trading Entities
MS & Co., a Delaware corporation, is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of Morgan Stanley. CGMI, a New York
corporation, is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Citigroup. Each Trading Entity is registered as a
broker-dealer with the Commission pursuant to Section 15 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Each conducts a
diversified, full service securities business, including (but not limited to)
as a dealer and underwriter for fixed-income securities, and each is a primary
dealer in U.S. government securities. As
described below, each of MS & Co. and CGMI are leading dealers and
underwriters in respect of a variety of fixed-income securities.
14
Citibank, N.A., Citibank Canada, Citibank
International plc, Citigroup Global Markets Limited and Citigroup Financial
Products Inc. are each wholly-owned subsidiaries of Citigroup (directly or
indirectly) and are each, among other things, leading originators of, or
participants in, syndicated loans and/or participants in the secondary markets
for such loans.
III.
The
Joint Venture
On January 13, 2009, Morgan Stanley and Citigroup entered into a
joint venture contribution and formation agreement (the JV Agreement) to
create MSSB, a Delaware limited liability company of which the equity
capitalization consists solely of one class of common membership interests (the
Interests).(6) MSSB is a holding company and the sole member of Morgan
Stanley Smith Barney LLC, which conducts most of the Joint Ventures domestic
operations as a dual-registered broker-dealer and investment adviser. On June 1, 2009, the Joint Venture
closed in accordance with the terms of the JV Agreement.
A.
Ownership
of the Joint Venture
Pursuant to the terms of the JV Agreement, Morgan Stanley has
contributed into the Joint Venture the businesses of its global wealth
management (retail brokerage) and private wealth management businesses (the MS
Contributed Businesses) (together with all contracts, employees, property
licenses and other assets and liabilities).
Citigroup has contributed into the Joint Venture its businesses Smith
Barney, Quilter and Smith Barney Australia (the Citi Contributed Businesses
and, collectively with the MS Contributed Businesses, the Contributed
Businesses) (together with all contracts, employees, property licenses and
other assets and liabilities).
(6) The JV Agreement is included with Morgan
Stanleys filing on Form 8-K dated January 13, 2009.
15
Morgan Stanley now owns indirectly through subsidiaries 51% of the
Interests, and Citigroup owns, indirectly through CGMI 49% of the
Interests. In addition, under the JV
Agreement, Morgan Stanley has the option to purchase an additional 14% of the
Interests following the third anniversary of the closing, an additional 15% of
the Interests after the fourth anniversary, and any remaining Interests held by
Citigroup after the fifth anniversary.
B.
The
Contributed Businesses
No parent or any business unit of any Adviser will be a Contributed
Business. No Fund is advised by a
Contributed Business.
Formerly, Smith Barney was a division of CGMI and Quilter was operated
through several separate legal entities under the control of Citigroup. Currently, the Citi Contributed Businesses
form part of MSSB, operating separately from CGMI and any other Citigroup
entity. Prior to the closing of the
Joint Venture, Morgan Stanleys global wealth management businesses formed part
of MS & Co. Such businesses are
currently, as part of MSSB, operated separately from MS & Co., which
remains an investment bank and broker-dealer.
MSSB provides retail brokerage and a variety of wealth management
services, including as an investment adviser, insurance broker, insurance
agency and futures broker. MSSB conducts
its own businesses, operating separately from the non-MSSB business units of
Citigroup and Morgan Stanley (although they may perform certain functions, such
as clearing, for MSSB for a certain period of time following the closing of the
Joint Venture). Citigroup and Morgan
Stanley have preserved their distinct brands and continue to offer
independently a wide range of financial services. Citigroup has no interest in, and will not
control (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act) directly
or indirectly, Morgan Stanley, the MS Advisers, or any other Morgan Stanley
entity that is not a MS Contributed Business (together with the MS Advisers,
the MS Entities). Morgan Stanley has
no interest in, and will not control (within the
16
meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the
Act) directly or indirectly, Citigroup, the Citi Adviser, or any other
Citigroup entity that is not a Citi Contributed Business (together with the
Citi Adviser, the Citi Entities).
C.
Governance
of the Joint Venture
MSSB is governed by a newly formed Board of Directors controlled by
Morgan Stanley. Currently, the Board
consists of four Morgan Stanley designees and two Citigroup designees (as long
as Citigroup owns 10% or more of the Interests) and the president of MSSB. The Chairman of MSSB is the Co-President of
Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley designees
constitute a majority of each committee of the MSSB Board, which also includes
at least one Citigroup designee.(7)
All matters with regard to MSSB generally will be determined by a
majority vote of the MSSB Board, although the Joint Venture also includes
certain other specified governance and approval rights. These rights require the approval of Morgan
Stanley and, for so long as Citigroup owns at least 20% of MSSB, of Citigroup,
with respect to certain specified major decisions, including (but not limited
to), generally: (i) any merger, liquidation or sale of MSSB; (ii) any
acquisition or disposition of a business representing more than 20% of assets
or revenues; (iii) related party transactions other than those conducted (a) at
arms length and (b) in the ordinary course of business (Citigroup may
dispute either (a) or (b)); (iv) issuance, repurchase or redemption
of equity securities except in certain circumstances; (v) removal or
replacement of the president of MSSB or certain other officers; (vi) entry
into new business lines in certain circumstances and (vii) certain
bankruptcy and tax events. Approval of
Citigroup is
(7) Although no public offering of common
shares of MSSB is contemplated, in the event of such a public offering, (1) the
MSSB Board will include at least three independent directors, (2) Citigroup
will have the right to proportionate representation on the MSSB Board for so
long as it owns at least 20% of MSSB (and in any event, not less than one
designee) and (3) Morgan Stanley will be entitled to designate a majority of
the MSSB Board.
17
required for amendment to the LLC Agreement,
as long as Citigroup owns at least 20% of the Interests; thereafter,
Citigroups approval will be required only as to certain specified
matters. Citigroup also may put its
Interests to Morgan Stanley, in the event of a change of control of Morgan
Stanley or after the sixth anniversary of the closing of the Joint Venture
transaction if Morgan Stanley has exercised its first two call rights.
IV.
Separation
Between the MS Entities and the Citi Entities
Subsequent to the closing of the Joint Venture, the Citi Trading Entity
and the MS Advisers (and the MS Trading Entity and the Citi Adviser) continue
to operate as separate, independent businesses.
The Citi Trading Entity and the MS Advisers (and the MS Trading Entity
and the Citi Adviser) continue to have separate ownership, their own separate
officers and employees, and each continues to be separately capitalized and
each maintains its own separate books and records and physically separate
offices.(8) In addition, the MS Advisers operate as distinct entities and
independent profit centers under the umbrella of Morgan Stanley. Further, Morgan Stanley will not have any
involvement with respect to proposed transactions pursuant to the Order and
will not attempt to influence or control in any way the placing by the MS Funds
or the MS Advisers of orders.
Furthermore, officers and employees of the MS Advisers may not
communicate confidential and non-public investment-related information to
Morgan Stanley employees outside of the MS Advisers and their mutual fund
service provider affiliates, except in connection with a conflicts clearing
process set up for that purpose. Such
information barriers are designed to control and prevent the dissemination of
confidential and material nonpublic
(8) No director, officer or employee of the
MS Funds or the MS Advisers also is or will be a director, officer or employee
of the Citi Trading Entity. No director,
officer or employee of the Citi Fund or the Citi Adviser also is or will be a
director, officer or employee of the MS Trading Entity. As noted above, each of Citigroup and Morgan
Stanley has the right to designate members of the Board of Directors of MSSB.
Currently, the Chairman of MSSB is the Co-President of Morgan Stanley.
18
information by employees who receive such
nonpublic information during the course of their employment. Similarly, the Citi Adviser operates as a
distinct entity and independent profit center and also employs information
barriers to prevent the dissemination of confidential and nonpublic information
outside the Citi Adviser.
The Funds and their investors are also protected from any undue
influence, among other things, by the substantial separation and independent
operation of the Trading Entities from each other and from MSSB. Independent operation generally consists of
separate profit centers, separate capitalization, separate books and records
and a separate compensation system that does not reward employees based on (i) a
factor that treats the Funds differently than unaffiliated counterparties (for
example, no Trading Entity will provide any additional compensation to any
employee solely based on such employees transacting business with a Fund that
would not generally be provided to employees performing similarly with respect
to transactions with unaffiliated parties) or (ii) the amount of business
done by the Citi Funds with the MS Trading Entity (in the case of Citigroup) or
the MS Funds with the Citi Trading Entity (in the case of Morgan Stanley),
except to the extent such business might affect indirectly the profits or
losses of the Advisers (such as where Securities Transactions result in higher
profits to a Fund that increase the net asset value of such Fund, based upon
which an Adviser generally receives a percentage fee).(9) The Advisers
will not cause the Funds to engage in portfolio transactions with MSSB. Further, the information barriers described
above with respect the Advisers and their affiliates will prevent the exchange
of confidential information between the Advisers and MSSB.
In light of the entity separation described above, the Applicants
submit that neither the Citi Trading Entity nor the MS Trading Entity will be
in a position to cause any Securities
(9) The MS Entities and MSSB are managed as
separate lines of business, though each entity ultimately reports to the same
individual(s) with respect to the Morgan Stanley side.
19
Transaction by the MS Funds or the Citi
Funds, respectively. That separation is
in effect required to be maintained for so long as the Order is relied upon by
the Structural Conditions described in section X below. Further, among other things, those conditions
prohibit the Citi Trading Entity or its affiliates from consulting with the MS
Advisers regarding potential transactions beyond the extent normally carried
out with unaffiliated parties in the normal course of business. In addition, the Citi Trading Entity must
adopt and implement policies prohibiting it from (i) linking approvals
regarding MSSB to actions by a MS Adviser or MS Fund, or (ii) using MSSB
to seek business with the MS Advisers or MS Funds, nor will Citigroup adopt any
compensation scheme that treats such business differently from business with
unaffiliated partners. Similarly, such
conditions prohibit the MS Trading Entity or its affiliates from consulting
with the Citi Adviser regarding potential transactions beyond the extent
normally carried out with unaffiliated parties in the normal course of
business. In addition, the MS Trading
Entity must adopt and implement policies prohibiting it from (i) linking
approvals regarding MSSB to actions by a Citi Adviser or Citi Fund, or (ii) using
MSSB to seek business with the Citi Adviser or Citi Funds, nor will Morgan
Stanley adopt any compensation scheme that treats such business differently
from business with unaffiliated partners.
Moreover, there is not, and will not be, any express or implied
understanding between the Citi Trading Entity and Morgan Stanley or any MS
Adviser that a MS Adviser will cause a MS Fund to enter into Securities
Transactions or give preference to the Citi Trading Entity in effecting such
transactions between the MS Fund and the Citi Trading Entity. Similarly, there is not, and will not be, any
express or implied understanding between the MS Trading Entity and Citigroup or
any Citi Adviser that a Citi Adviser will cause a Citi Fund to enter into
Securities Transactions or
20
give preference to the MS Trading Entity in
effecting such transactions between the Citi Fund and the MS Trading Entity.
All decisions by the Funds to enter into portfolio transactions are
determined solely by their respective Advisers in accordance with the
investment objectives of the Fund. In
that regard, trade execution for the Funds is the responsibility of one or more
individuals employed solely by their respective Advisers and the Advisers will
continue to adhere to a best execution standard. Portfolio managers employed by MS Advisers
will have no affiliation (within the meaning of the Act) with the Citi Trading
Entity, and their lines of reporting responsibility will be solely within the
MS Advisers. Portfolio managers employed
by Citi Adviser will have no affiliation (within the meaning of the Act) with
the MS Trading Entity, and their lines of reporting responsibility will be
solely within the Citi Adviser. Prior to
any purchase or sale decision, the portfolio manager at an Adviser will independently
evaluate any research provided by broker-dealers, including unaffiliated
broker-dealers, and other analysts and determine his or her own
recommendations. In addition, a major
determinant of the compensation of a portfolio manager at any Adviser is the
performance of the Fund or Funds for which he or she has responsibility. In no instance would his or her compensation
be affected by the amount of business done by Funds he or she manages with the
Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity, respectively.
In summary, notwithstanding the formation of MSSB, the MS Advisers will
continue to operate independently of the Citi Trading Entity in performing
portfolio management services for the MS Funds, and the Citi Trading Entity
will not have any influence over those services. The Citi Adviser will continue to operate
independently of the MS Trading Entity in performing
21
portfolio management services for the Citi
Funds, and the MS Trading Entity will not have any influence over those
services.
V.
Consolidation
in the Financial Services Industry
A.
The
Impact of Consolidation
Significant consolidation has occurred in the banking and investment
banking (broker-dealer) industries, blurring the line between the two
industries (referred to herein, collectively, as the financial services
industry) both conceptually and in practice.
A 1995 paper published by the Brookings Institution reported that from
1979 to 1994, the banking industry was transformed by the massive reduction in
the number of banking organizations; the significant increase in the number of
failures; the dramatic rise in off-balance sheet activities; the major
expansion in lending to U.S. corporations by foreign banks; . . . and the opening
up of interstate banking markets.(10) Nearly a decade later, an article
in the FDIC Banking Review asserted that [o]ver the two decades 1984-2003, the
structure of the U.S. banking industry indeed underwent an almost unprecedented
transformationone marked by a substantial decline in the number of commercial
banks and savings institutions and by a growing concentration of industry
assets among a few dozen extremely large financial institutions.(11) Indeed, consolidation in the financial
services industry continued from 2003, accelerating during the credit crisis
that began in 2007.
Consolidation in the financial services industry, combined with an
increase in industry assets, has resulted in a few major broker-dealers
accounting for a large percentage of the market
(10) Allen N. Berger,
et al., The
Transformation of the U.S. Banking Industry: What a Long, Strange Trip Its
Been
, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity 2, 127 (1995).
(11) Kenneth D. Jones and Tim Critchfield,
Consolidation in the U.S. Banking Industry: Is the Long, Strange Trip About to End?
,
17 FDIC Banking Review 4, 31 (2005).
22
share in connection with trading in various
asset classes.(12) In March 2008,
The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc., the U.S.s fifth largest investment
bank, was acquired by JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JP Morgan). In September of that year, Lehman
Brothers Holdings Inc. (Lehman Brothers) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
protection, and Merrill Lynch & Co. was acquired by Bank of America
Corporation (Bank of America), reducing the number of major pure investment
banks (broker-dealers) to two, The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (Goldman
Sachs) and Morgan Stanley. These
companies subsequently registered as bank holding companies. In the fourth quarter of 2008, Wachovia
Corporation was acquired by former competitor Wells Fargo & Company,
and Barclays Bank, PLC (Barclays) agreed to purchase certain core capital
markets businesses of Lehman Brothers.
B.
Consolidation
has Increased the Applicants Need for Relief
The aforementioned companies, including Citigroup, JP Morgan, Goldman
Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Barclays all ranked in the top ten
managing underwriters of U.S. municipal new issues, global debt, global
asset-backed securities and global high yield debt in 2008.(13) These companies are important institutions
involved in secondary market trading.
The decline in the number of broker-dealers and banks trading in the
securities in which the Funds seek to invest and increasing importance of the
few remaining institutions has increased the importance to the Funds of their
relationships with such entities, including the Citi Trading Entity or the MS
Trading Entity, as applicable. The number
of broker-dealers with which the MS Funds and the Citi Funds may engage in
trades is further reduced due to the MS
(12) For example, mergers prior to 2008
involving the following companies reduced the number of firms dealing in money
market instruments and other asset classes:
Bank of America and FleetBoston; Wachovia and First Union; Deutsche Bank
and Scudder Investments; Wachovia and Prudential Securities; J.P. Morgan Chase
& Co. and Bank One; and Bank of New York and Mellon Financial Corporation.
(13) Citigroup, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs,
Bank of America and Barclays also ranked in the top ten managing underwriters
of global and U.S. mortgage-backed securities in 2008. Thomson Reuters,
Debt Capital
Markets Review: Fourth Quarter 2008
;
Thomson Reuters,
US Municipals Review: Year End 2008.
23
Funds first-tier affiliation with Morgan
Stanley broker-dealers and the Citi Funds first-tier affiliation with
Citigroup broker-dealers and bank, respectively, as the MS Funds are already
generally precluded from trading with the MS Trading Entity(14) and the Citi
Funds are already generally precluded from trading with the Citi Trading
Entity. Such preclusion from trading
with a major broker-dealer in a wide variety of securities already puts the
Funds and their Advisers at a disadvantage as compared to funds not subject to
such restrictions when seeking to obtain competitive pricing and achieve best
execution. The few other dealers
available to the Funds may be less inclined to provide competitive pricing or
more favorable terms knowing that the Advisers choices of a dealer are
limited.
Prohibiting the MS Funds from engaging in Securities Transactions with
the Citi Trading Entity (and the Citi Funds from engaging in Securities
Transactions with the MS Trading Entity) would further reduce the opportunities
available to the Funds to obtain competitive pricing and best execution and to
access the markets for particular securities that are available from only a few
dealers. Preventing the MS Funds from
trading with the Citi Trading Entity could materially limit the ability of the
MS Funds to obtain the pricing, terms and quality of service available from a
major dealer. For example, the Citi
Trading Entity can be responsible for more than 10% of the dollar trading
volume of primary offerings and more than 20% of the dollar trading volume of
secondary market trading in certain types of fixed income securities. That effect is compounded, as noted above, by
the MS Funds already existing inability to trade with the MS Trading Entity
which, especially in the aggregate, could affect the ability to obtain best execution. Moreover, the Citi Trading Entity has been
and is expected to be an increasingly important counterparty for the MS Funds
because of the quality of execution provided,
(14) Morgan Stanley does presently have an
exemptive order to, among other things, permit its broker-dealer subsidiary,
MS&Co., to engage in principal transactions in taxable and tax-exempt money
market instruments with the Funds.
Investment Company Act Release No. 28150 (Feb. 13, 2008).
24
particularly, market liquidity. For example, certain MS Funds have used the
Citi Trading Entity for more than 20% of their dollar trading volume in certain
types of fixed-income securities. Due to
the absence of a centralized reporting mechanism for completed transactions,
the precise impact of not having available a counterparty of this importance is
difficult to measure. Specifically,
fixed-income markets are often subject to limited transparency, which in turn
limits an investment advisers ability to measure best execution on a
trade-by-trade basis.(15) However, it
has been (and is expected to be) frequently the case that only a limited number
of dealers, often including the Citi Trading Entity, have been willing to trade
with a Fund in a particular fixed-income security in the quantities specified
by the Fund at a given time. As the MS
Trading Entity and the Citi Trading Entity are major participants in the
fixed-income securities markets, as described above, a Funds inability to
trade with each Trading Entity could impair the Funds ability to trade in a
particular fixed-income security, at the time and in the quantities specified
by the Fund, where the relevant Trading Entity is one of few dealers willing to
trade in such fixed-income security at such time and in such quantities. Therefore, precluding a Fund from trading
with a Trading Entity may harm the Fund by preventing it from obtaining what
would be best execution if the Fund were allowed to trade with the Trading
Entity. Finally, the rapid pace of
consolidation in the financial services industry over the past two years
portends future consolidation which could even further increase the need for
the Funds to trade with the Trading Entities, as such Trading Entities could be
among the few remaining major financial institutions which provide competitive
pricing and high-quality service for the relevant transactions.
(15)
See Best Execution
Guidelines for Fixed-Income Securities
, Securities Industry and
Financial Markets Association, Asset Management Group (September 2008).
25
VI.
The
Securities Transactions
A.
The
Securities Transactions Generally
The Funds have a variety of investment objectives, but each may to a
greater or lesser degree invest a portion of its assets in fixed-income
securities. The secondary market for
fixed-income securities is typically a dealer market in which trades are
effected on a principal basis. New
issues of fixed-income securities are typically offered in underwritten or
private placement transactions. The MS
Funds engage extensively, and are expected in the future (if the Order is
granted) to engage extensively, in transactions that involve the Citi Trading
Entity. The LMP Fund engages in
syndicated loan transactions that involve the MS Trading Entity and, as
additional Citi Funds are organized, such funds are expected (if the Order is
granted) to engage in a wide array of transactions involving the MS Trading
Entity. These Securities Transactions
include the following: (i) the purchase of fixed-income securities by an
MS Fund or a Citi Fund in underwritten offerings in which the Citi Trading
Entity or the MS Trading Entity, as applicable, is a manager or member of the
underwriting syndicate, and where a MS Fund purchases underwritten fixed-income
securities from the Citi Trading Entity, or a Citi Fund purchases underwritten
fixed-income securities from the MS Trading Entity; (ii) the purchase by a
MS Fund or a Citi Fund of fixed-income securities from, or the sales of
fixed-income securities to, the Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity,
respectively, in transactions in which the Citi Trading Entity or the MS
Trading Entity, respectively, is acting as a principal; and (iii) participation
in certain specific, and other types of, arrangements or transactions that the
MS Funds presently participate in with the Citi Trading Entity, or that a Citi
Fund may participate in with the MS Trading Entity. These arrangements and transactions (as
described in section VI(B)
26
below) are tender option bond trust
structures (TOBs), certain asset-backed or mortgage-backed securitization
structures, loan syndicates, and investments in the same company.
If the Citi Trading Entity were considered to be a second-tier
affiliate of the MS Funds (or the MS Trading Entity were considered to be a
second-tier affiliate of the Citi Funds), a Securities Transaction would
potentially violate one or more of Section 17(a) or Section 17(d) of
the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder.
The inability of the MS Funds to execute Securities Transactions
involving the Citi Trading Entity and of the Citi Funds to execute Securities
Transactions involving the MS Trading Entity would impose a hardship on the
Funds by prohibiting the Funds from engaging in Securities Transactions with a
broker-dealer with which such Funds had engaged in transactions in fixed-income
securities prior to there being any affiliation between Citigroup and Morgan
Stanley (which arises exclusively as a result of the Joint Venture) and by
preventing the Funds from purchasing or selling securities that the Funds would
have purchased or sold prior to that affiliation in transactions in which the
Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity, as applicable here, has some
involvement.
B.
Joint
Transactions
Applicants are requesting an Order pursuant to Rule 17d-1 under
the Act to the extent necessary to permit the Citi Trading Entity to
participate jointly with the MS Funds (and the MS Trading Entity with the Citi
Funds) in (i) TOBs transactions involving municipal bonds, (ii) asset-backed
or mortgage-backed securities transactions, (iii) syndicated loan
transactions, and (iv) investments in the same company.
(i)
Tender Option
Bond Trust Structures
Each of the MS Funds investing in long-term municipal bonds may engage,
and/or has in the past engaged, in transactions with the Citi Trading Entity
involving tender option bond trusts (TOBs).
TOBs are derivative securities that (as relevant here) are created by a
fund placing
27
municipal bonds into a trust arrangement
established by a dealer on behalf of the fund.
In exchange, each respective fund receives cash and a residual interest
security. In a typical TOBs transaction,
the trust funds the purchases of the municipal bonds by issuing securities
(floaters) which are purchased by third-party investors (often tax-exempt
money market funds) and which pay interest (generally quarterly or
semi-annually) based on interest rates that are typically reset weekly. The floaters are remarketed typically on a
weekly basis by a remarketing agent, which receives a fee from the trust for
such service. During that activity, the
remarketing agent may also own floaters for a brief period of time while the
fund holds the residual interest. In
addition, the remarketing agent, or a separate entity, which may or may not be
affiliated with the remarketing agent, also serves as the liquidity provider by
committing to hold a floater the remarketing agent is unable to place with an
investor until such time as the floater can be placed or the trust is collapsed
and the municipal bond is delivered back into the fund or otherwise sold,
events which can be triggered by the liquidity provider under certain
circumstances.(16) Where floaters are
tendered back to the liquidity provider, the liquidity provider would hold the
floaters at the same time the fund held the residual interest in the underlying
bond. If the Citi Trading Entity
establishes the trust to which a MS Fund wishes to sell its long-term security
and serves as remarketing agent and/or liquidity provider, and such MS Fund
holds the residual interest in the underlying bond, such a transaction could be
considered a joint transaction and therefore subject to Section 17(d) and
Rule 17d-1 thereunder. Situations
could also arise in which a Citi Trading
(16) For example, a termination event may
encompass a wide variety of circumstances, certain of which may be objectively
determined and certain of which involve an element of subjectivity. For example, such an event may include (i)
the inability of the remarketing agent to sell all or a specified percentage of
the floating rate securities after a specified amount of time has passed; (ii)
a downgrade in the rating of the underlying bond or the insurer of the bond;
(iii) a determination by the liquidity provider that the financial condition of
the issuer of the underlying bond has deteriorated to an extent that is in the
judgment of the liquidity provider materially adverse to the trust; or (iv)
certain changes in laws or regulations that, in the judgment of the liquidity
provider, may increase its costs or reduce its returns. In the event the liquidity provider
determines to terminate the trust, the liquidity provider will be required to
make payments on the floating rate securities.
28
Entity establishes a TOBs structure for
itself or a related party and holds the residual and a MS Fund (
e.g.
, a tax-exempt money market fund) holds the
floater. (Section 17(a) also
may be involved where, for example, a Citi Trading Entity, as liquidity
provider, is to purchase a floater held by such MS Fund.) The above analysis would also apply to future
TOBs transactions involving the MS Trading Entity and a Citi Fund.
(ii)
Asset- and
Mortgage-Backed Securities
In a typical asset-backed securities (ABS) or mortgage-backed
securities (MBS) transaction, a financial institution which sponsors the ABS or
MBS sells a pool of loans (which may have been originated by the sponsor or its
affiliates) to a special purpose entity, which in turn sells such loans to a
trust. The trust issues interest-bearing
notes or pass-through certificates (of which the sponsor or its affiliate may serve
as underwriter) backed by the trusts assets; the sponsor or its affiliate may
retain an equity or residual interest in the trust. The assets continue to be serviced, and the
income received from such assets is used to make distributions to the holders
of the ABS or MBS and the holder of the residual interest.
The MS Funds, as consistent with their investment policies, may enter
into transactions involving ABS or MBS, including those that are issued by
special purpose entities sponsored by the Citi Trading Entity (or an
affiliate), and the Citi Funds may do so with respect to ABS or MBS of entities
sponsored by the MS Trading Entity (or an affiliate), respectively, under
circumstances in which both (i) the residual interest in the special
purpose entity is owned directly or indirectly by the respective Trading Entity
(or an affiliate) and (ii) the respective Trading Entity (or an affiliate)
acts as the servicer of assets.
Though Applicants do not necessarily concede that such transactions
fall under Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder,
such transactions could arguably fall under those
29
provisions due to the various roles played by
the respective Trading Entity (or an affiliate).
(17) The Applicants submit, however, that there is
little opportunity or, indeed, economic incentive to overreach a Fund when
acting in those capacities.
Nevertheless, the scenario is more complicated than a straightforward
purchase or sale of a third-party sponsored ABS or MBS from the Trading Entity. Thus, to the extent an independent check may
be necessary, a Fund will only engage in ABS or MBS transactions in which (i) the
residual interest in the special purpose entity sponsored by a Trading Entity
is owned directly or indirectly by the respective Trading Entity (or an
affiliate) and (ii) the respective Trading Entity (or an affiliate) acts
as the servicer of assets, if, based on relevant information that is reasonably
available to the Funds Adviser, the Adviser believes that, upon the close of
the transaction, Funds (and other discretionary advisory accounts) managed by
the Adviser will purchase less than 50% of the dollar amount of securities of
each class acquired by the Fund in the aggregate and the Fund participates in
each such class on the same terms as other purchasers of that class.
(iii)
Syndicated Loan
Facilities
A Fund may also participate as a member of a syndicated loan facility (
i.e.
, as a lender to the borrower under the facility) in
which a Trading Entity is also (i) an agent with responsibility (either
solely or with one or more co-agents) for structuring, arranging, placing, or
administering the loan facility or for other functions related to the loan
syndicate, (ii) a syndicate member or (iii) both. As such an agent, a Trading Entity might,
among other things, negotiate with the Fund over its initial participation in
the syndicate or over its subsequent approval of a waiver or other amendments
to the loan facility requested by the borrower.
A Trading Entity would likely receive fees from the borrower under the
loan facility for acting as an agent, which the Fund, as a
(17) The Applicants note that a Trading
Entity (or its affiliate) may act in other capacities with respect to an ABS or
MBS vehicle. For example, the Trading
Entity (or an affiliate) might serve as custodian, trustee, hedging
counterparty, paying agent or administrator for the vehicle.
30
non-agent member of the loan syndicate would
not receive. Similarly, where a Trading
Entity and a Fund took different actions as members of a loan syndicate (e.g.,
one approving a requested amendment and the other not) or committed to fund
different amounts of the loan, they might receive different levels of fees in
respect of the loan. Though Applicants
do not necessarily concede that all such syndicated loan transactions fall
under Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, such
transactions could arguably come within the scope of those provisions in light
of the fact that a Fund and a Trading Entity could have an interest in the same
loan facility.
As a condition to the requested relief for syndicated loan facilities
in which a Fund and a Trading Entity participate and that may otherwise be
prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1
thereunder, (a) their participation would involve no coordination between
the Trading Entity and the Fund beyond that of a type the Trading Entity
engages in with other unaffiliated participants in such facility, (b) the
terms of the Funds participation in the facility (to the extent within the
knowledge and control of the Trading Entity) would be on a basis no less
advantageous than that of other similarly situated participants (
i.e.
, the Fund will receive the same priority, security,
interest rate and fees as other participants in the same tranche or other
portion of the loan in which the Fund is a participant), except to the extent
such difference is related to services performed with respect to the facility
or their role in the facility and (c) in the case of the primary
syndication of a loan facility where the Trading Entity is lead agent with
primary responsibility for structuring, arranging or placing such facility, the
Fund will participate in the facility only where, based on relevant information
that is reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser believes that, upon
conclusion of allocations to holders of record in the
31
primary syndication of the facility, less
than 50% of the participations will be held by Funds (and other discretionary
advisory accounts) managed by the Adviser.
(iv)
Investments in
the Same Company
.
It is also possible that a Fund could make an
investment in a company (or other issuer) in which a Trading Entity also has
invested. In such a situation, the Fund
and the Trading Entity might hold the same securities issued by the company or
one could hold securities of a different class or even a different type (e.g.,
debt vs. equity) than the other. Again,
while the Applicants do not necessarily concede that all such situations fall
under Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, some
situations where a Fund and a Trading Entity have invested in the same company
could arguably come within the scope of those provisions, given the fact that
the Fund and the Trading Entity would have an interest in the same company.
As a condition to the requested relief for investments by a Fund and a
Trading Entity in the same company (or other issuer) that would otherwise be
prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder
(except in the case of syndicated loan transactions, which, as discussed above,
will be subject to a separate condition), (a) the Funds and the Trading
Entitys investment will involve no coordination between the Trading Entity and
the Fund beyond that of a type the Trading Entity engages in with other
unaffiliated investors in such company and (b) the Fund will participate
or invest in a type or class of securities (
e.g.
, equity
securities) of the company only where, based on relevant information that is
reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser believes that, upon the close
of the investment transaction, less than 50% of the dollar amount of the
securities of such type or class will be owned by Funds (and other
discretionary advisory accounts) managed by the Adviser.
32
As for all transactions pursuant to the Order, Joint Transactions would
be subject to procedures adopted by the Funds Board, including the majority of
the Funds disinterested directors or trustees, as applicable.
VII.
Relevant
Provisions and Relief Requested
A.
Relevant
Provisions
(i)
Section 2(a)(3)
As a result of the Joint Venture, the Citi Trading Entity would
arguably become a second-tier affiliate of the MS Funds (and the MS Trading
Entity a second-tier affiliate of the Citi Funds) within the meaning of Section 2(a)(3) of
the Act. Section 2(a)(3) of
the Act, in relevant part, defines affiliated person of another person as:
(A) any person directly
or indirectly owning, controlling, or holding with power to vote, 5 per centum
or more of the outstanding voting securities of such other person; (B) any
person 5 per centum or more of whose outstanding voting securities are directly
or indirectly owned by, controlled, or held with power to vote, by such person;
(C) any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under
common control with, such other person; (D) any officer, director,
partner, copartner, or employee of such other person; (E) if such person
is an investment company, any investment adviser thereof . . . .
If the MS Funds are assumed to be under the control of the MS Advisers,
and Morgan Stanley also controls MSSB, then MSSB and the MS Funds are
affiliated persons (first-tier affiliates) by virtue of being under common
control. The Citi Trading Entity could
also be viewed as a first-tier affiliate of MSSB, and a second-tier affiliate
of the MS Funds, because of CGMIs ownership of more than five percent of the
voting securities of MSSB, and, moreover, its control of MSSB. The affiliation analysis would be generally
the same with respect to the Citi Funds and the MS Trading Entity. In reaching the above conclusion, Applicants
also
33
assume that the presumption in Section 2(a)(9) of
the Act that ownership of greater than 25% of an entity constitutes control
cannot be rebutted on the facts of the present case.
(ii)
Section 17(a)
Section 17(a) of the Act, among other things, prohibits an
affiliated person of a registered investment company, or any affiliated person
of such a person, acting as principal, from selling to or purchasing from such
registered company any security or other property and from borrowing money or
other property from such investment company.
The primary purpose of Section 17(a) is to prevent a person
with the power to control an investment company from essentially engaging in
self-dealing, to the detriment of the investment companys
shareholders.(18) In that regard, Section 1(b)(2) of
the Act declares that it is against the public interest and the interest of
investors when:
investment companies are
organized, operated, managed, or their portfolio securities are selected, in
the interest of directors, officers, investment advisers, depositors, or other
affiliated persons thereof, in the interest of underwriters, brokers, or
dealers, in the interest of special classes of their security holders, or in
the interest of other investment companies or persons engaged in other lines of
business, rather than in the interest of all classes of such companies
security holders . . . .
When the person acting on behalf of an
investment company has no direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a party to a
principal transaction, then the abuse that Section 17(a) is designed
to prevent is not present. The MS Funds
and the Citi Funds propose to engage in Securities Transactions with the Citi
Trading Entity and the MS Trading Entity, respectively, following closing of
the Joint Venture, just as they have previously. Applicants submit that just as in previous
transactions, as is discussed in section VIII below, no risk of self-dealing
would present itself in any Securities Transaction, as the Citi Trading Entity
and the MS Trading Entity will
(18)
See, e.g
., S.
Rep. No. 1775, 76
th
Cong. 3d Sess. 6 (1940).
34
have no influence over portfolio decisions by
the MS Advisers and the Citi Adviser, respectively, and the MS Advisers and the
Citi Adviser would receive no unfair pecuniary advantage from engaging in the
Securities Transactions with the Citi Trading Entity and the MS Trading Entity,
respectively.
(iii)
Section 17(d)
Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder
prohibit any affiliated person of or principal underwriter for a registered
investment company or any second-tier affiliate, acting as principal, from
effecting any transaction in connection with any joint enterprise or other
joint arrangement or profit sharing plan in which the investment company
participates, unless an application regarding the joint transaction has been
filed with the Commission and granted by order.
Rule 17d-1 provides that, in passing upon an application for such
an order, the Commission will consider whether the participation of a
registered investment company in a joint transaction is consistent with the
provisions, policies and purposes of the Act and the extent to which such
participation is on a basis different from or less advantageous than that of
the other applicants.
Section 17(d), and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, were intended to
prohibit abuses arising from conflicts of interest where rather than being on
opposite sides of a transaction, an investment company and its affiliates share
some element of combination in a transaction.(19) As noted above and explained further below,
the Applicants submit that in no event will the Citi Trading Entity or the MS
Trading Entity have the ability to influence the decisions of the MS Advisers
on behalf of the MS Funds or the Citi Adviser on behalf of the Citi Funds,
respectively. Moreover, participation by
the MS Funds or the Citi Funds in such transactions with the Citi Trading
Entity
(19)
SEC v. Talley Industries,
Inc
., 399 F.2d 396, 403 (2d Cir. 1968),
cert denied
,
393 U.S. 1015 (1969);
see also
,
Investment Company Act Release No. 17534 (June 15, 1990) (Sections 17(a) and
17(d) were designed to protect investment companies from self-dealing and
overreaching by insiders).
35
or the MS Trading Entity, respectively, would
be on a basis similar to the Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity,
respectively, unless any difference is related to the differing nature of their
participation in the transaction.(20)
B.
Authority
for the Order
Section 17(b) of the Act permits any person to file an
application for an order of the Commission exempting a proposed transaction of
the applicant from the provisions of Section 17(a). Such applications are to be granted by the
Commission if evidence establishes that:
(1)
the terms of the proposed
transaction, including the consideration to be paid or received, are reasonable
and fair and do not involve overreaching on the part of any person concerned;
(2)
the proposed transaction is
consistent with the policy of each registered investment company
concerned . . .; and
(3)
the proposed transaction is
consistent with the general purposes of [the Act].
Section 6(c) of the Act, in relevant part, authorizes the
Commission to exempt any person or transaction, or any class or classes of
persons or transactions, from any provision or provisions of the Act, if and to
the extent that such exemption is necessary or appropriate in the public
interest and consistent with the protection of investors and the purposes
fairly intended by the policy and provision of the Act. Relief is being requested pursuant to Section 6(c),
as well as Section 17(b) because, among other things, the Order would
cover certain classes of transactions.
Rule 17d-1 provides that, in passing upon an application for an
order of the Commission permitting a proposed joint venture or joint arrangement
otherwise proscribed by Section 17(d), the Commission will consider
whether the participation of a registered investment company in a joint venture
or joint arrangement is consistent with the provisions, policies and purposes
of the
(20) For example, in a syndicated loans
transaction, the participation of various parties may differ where a party
plays an additional role, such as lead agent, in the transaction.
36
Act and the extent to which such
participation is on a basis different from or less advantageous than that of
the other applicants.
C.
Relief
Requested
Due to their second-tier affiliation, any Securities Transaction by the
MS Funds involving the Citi Trading Entity, and by the Citi Funds involving the
MS Trading Entity, would be subject to Section 17(a) of the Act where
it constitutes a principal transaction between them, and for Joint
Transactions, Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1
thereunder.
The inability of the MS Funds and the Citi Funds to execute Securities
Transactions involving the Citi Trading Entity and the MS Trading Entity,
respectively (exclusively as a result of Citigroups and Morgan Stanleys
direct or indirect interest in MSSB) would significantly limit the universe of
securities broker-dealers and banks available to the Funds, the universe of
underwritings in which the Funds may participate and the level and number of
Securities Transactions in which the Funds may engage.
In order to permit the Funds to be managed as effectively as possible,
Applicants seek relief from the provisions of Sections 17(a) and an Order
pursuant to Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1
thereunder. Applicants request an Order,
pursuant to Sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act exempting Securities
Transactions entered into in the ordinary course of business by a MS Fund
involving the Citi Trading Entity and by a Citi Fund involving the MS Trading
Entity under the circumstances described herein from the provisions of Sections
17(a) of the Act, and pursuant to Rule 17d-1 under Section 17(d) of
the Act permitting the Securities Transactions described above. The Order would apply only where the Citi
Trading Entity is deemed to be a second-tier affiliate of a MS Fund, and the MS
Trading Entity is deemed to be a second-tier affiliate of a Citi Fund, solely
because of Citigroups and Morgan Stanleys direct or indirect ownership
interest in MSSB.
37
VIII.
Rationale
for Relief
Applicants submit that the policies which Sections 17(a) and 17(d) of
the Act, and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, were meant to further are not
implicated here because Citigroup and the Citi Trading Entity are not in a
position to cause a MS Fund to enter into a Securities Transaction or otherwise
influence portfolio decisions by the MS Advisers on behalf of the MS Funds;
and, similarly, Morgan Stanley and the MS Trading Entity are not in a position
to cause a Citi Fund to enter into a Securities Transaction or otherwise
influence portfolio decisions by the Citi Adviser on behalf of the Citi
Fund. As a result, no Trading Entity is
in a position to engage in self-dealing or otherwise cause any of the relevant
Funds to enter into transactions that are not in the best interests of its
shareholders. In addition, there is an
existing separation and information barrier between the MS Advisers and the MS
Funds on the one hand and other units of Morgan Stanley on the other (and
between the Citi Adviser and the Citi Funds on the one hand and other units of
Citigroup on the other).
Moreover, Applicants submit that the circumstances under which the
Securities Transactions would be conducted, including in particular the
proposed conditions for the Order, satisfy the statutory standards for relief. The proposed conditions will be of two
general types, and are reflected in the proposed conditions for the Order. The Applicants refer to the first type of
conditions as structural, and they are intended to assure that the MS
Advisers and the MS Funds continue to operate independently of, and free of any
undue influence by, Citigroup and the Citi Trading Entity and similarly, that
the Citi Adviser and the Citi Funds continue to operate independently of, and
free of any undue influence by, Morgan Stanley and the MS Trading Entity.
38
The Applicants refer to the second type of conditions as
transactional conditions. Those
conditions are designed to assure that the terms of the individual transactions
are fair from the perspective of the Funds.
At the outset, the conditions require each Funds Board, including a
majority of its disinterested directors or trustees, as applicable, to approve,
and the Fund to implement, procedures governing all Securities Transactions
pursuant to the Order. Pursuant to such
procedures, among other things, the Securities Transactions will be subject to
ongoing review by each Funds Chief Compliance Officer, and will be reviewed by
its Board, including a majority of the disinterested directors/trustees, on a
quarterly basis. The Funds Adviser will
provide a report to the Board, subject to review and approval by the Funds
Chief Compliance Officer, that will indicate that the conditions of the Order
have been satisfied and, to the extent there have been any changes in the
volume, type or terms of such transactions between the relevant Fund and
Trading Entity, a determination that legitimate reasons exist for such
change. Such reasons might include, for
example, an increase in the volume of transactions involving fixed-income
securities due to interest rate changes or a change in the number of dealers in
a fixed-income security, or changes in the number and/or type of issuers the
securities of which the Trading Entity acts as underwriter or dealer. Further, the Advisers adhere to a best
execution standard. In the case of each
Securities Transaction, the relevant Adviser will make a determination that
such transaction is consistent with the investment objectives of the relevant
Fund and in the best interests of such Funds shareholders. The conditions also require price quotes from
unaffiliated sources to assure fairness of price. Particular types of transactions, including
possible joint transactions, will be subject to additional controls, as
described in section X(B), in order to ensure that such transactions are not
entered into on terms disadvantageous to the Funds.
39
(i)
The Securities
Transactions are Reasonable and Fair and Do Not Involve the Risk of
Overreaching
The independence of the Citi Trading Entity from the MS Advisers and
all MS Entities and of the MS Trading Entity from the Citi Adviser and all Citi
Entities demonstrates that no risk of overreaching or self-dealing by the Citi
Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity would be present if the MS Funds and
the Citi Trading Entity or the Citi Funds and the MS Trading Entity engaged in
Securities Transactions. Citigroup and
Morgan Stanley operate and, after the Joint Venture will continue to operate,
independently. The MS Trading Entity
will operate independently of the Citi Adviser and all Citi Entities. The Citi Adviser will operate independently
of the MS Trading Entity and all MS Entities.
The MS Advisers will operate independently of the Citi Trading Entity
and all Citi Entities. The Citi Trading
Entity will operate independently of the MS Adviser and all MS Entities. Similarly, as relevant to this Application,
the Citi Entities and the MS Entities will each operate separately from
MSSB. As a condition to the relief
requested by this Application, none of Citigroup, the Citi Trading Entity or
MSSB will control (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act),
directly or indirectly, the MS Advisers or the MS Funds. Similarly, none of Morgan Stanley, the MS
Trading Entity or MSSB will control (within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of
the Act), directly or indirectly, the Citi Adviser or the Citi Funds. Further, there is not, and will not be, any
express or implied understanding between Citigroup and Morgan Stanley, the
Trading Entities or any Adviser that the Adviser will cause a Fund to enter
into Securities Transactions or give preference to a Trading Entity in
effecting such transactions between the Fund and the Trading Entity.
The Joint Venture will not effect any substantial change in the
personnel or operations of the Advisers.
The Citi Trading Entity and the MS Advisers, and the MS Trading Entity
and the Citi Adviser, respectively, have and will have their own separate
officers and employees, each
40
has been and will continue to be separately
capitalized and each has maintained and will maintain its own separate books
and records and physically separate offices.
Similarly, the MS Advisers operate as distinct entities and independent
profit centers under the umbrella of Morgan Stanley, and the Citi Adviser
operates as a distinct entity and independent profit center under the umbrella
of Citigroup. Thus, the Advisers will
have no economic incentive to place orders with an opposing Trading Entity
unless it is in a Funds best interests to do so. In sum, the formation of MSSB will not affect
the operations of the Advisers or influence the decisions of the Advisers on
behalf of the Funds to engage in Securities Transactions with the Trading
Entities.
If an MS Adviser or a Citi Adviser were to purchase securities on
behalf of a MS Fund or a Citi Fund, respectively, in a transaction involving
the Citi Trading Entity or the MS Trading Entity, respectively, the benefits
afforded the Trading Entities by engaging in such transactions would differ
from, and would not be shared by, the Advisers.
That is, the Adviser benefits from a transaction only where such
transaction is beneficial to the Fund (by increasing the assets under
management by the Adviser and therefore, the Advisers fee, and by positively
affecting the Advisers performance record).
Further, personnel of the MS Advisers and the Citi Adviser will be
compensated based on the performance of the MS Funds and the Citi Funds,
respectively, managed by them and profitability of the MS Advisers and the Citi
Adviser will not be affected in any way by the profitability of the Citi
Trading Entity and the MS Trading Entity, respectively.
(ii)
The Funds
Participation in Joint Transactions Will Be on a Basis No Less Advantageous
Than That of Similarly Situated Trading Entities
The complete separation of the MS Advisers from the Citi Trading Entity
and the Citi Adviser from the MS Trading Entity, and the inability of the
Trading Entities to influence the Advisers prevents each party in a Joint
Transaction from obtaining an unfair advantage.
In
41
addition, the entity separation and the
information barriers in place between the Advisers and the Trading Entities
assures that no Adviser will have an economic incentive to trade with an
opposing Trading Entity unless it is in the best interest of a Fund. Moreover, for any Joint Transaction effected
pursuant to the Order, the Applicants will follow procedures, described in
further detail in section X below, designed to ensure the fairness of such
transactions. For example, in a Joint
Transaction involving ABS or MBS that are newly issued by special purpose
entities sponsored by the Citi Trading Entity (or an affiliate) or the MS
Trading Entity (or an affiliate), respectively, under circumstances in which
both (i) the residual interest in the special purpose entity is owned
directly or indirectly by the respective Trading Entity (or an affiliate) and (ii) the
Trading Entity (or an affiliate) acts as the servicer of assets, a Fund will
purchase such ABS or MBS only where Funds (and other discretionary advisory
accounts) managed by the Adviser purchase less than 50% of the dollar amount of
securities of each class acquired by the Fund, and the Fund participates in
each such class on the same terms as other purchasers of that class. Such a condition will reflect the arms-length
nature of the terms upon which the Fund will participate. In addition, the power of the Trading Entity
to collapse the trust in a transaction involving TOBs would be limited to the
occurrence of certain events.(21)
With respect to investments in a company or syndicated loan facility in
which a Fund and a Trading Entity participate in a manner that may be
prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Act, the terms of the Funds
investment or participation, respectively, will involve no coordination between
the Trading Entity and the Fund beyond that of a type the Trading Entity
engages in with other unaffiliated investors in the company or participants in
the facility, respectively. With respect
to participation in a syndicated loan facility, the terms of the Funds
participation in the
(21)
See
note 16,
supra.
42
facility (to the extent within the knowledge
and control of the Trading Entity) will be on a basis no less advantageous than
that of other similarly situated participants (
i.e.
,
the Fund will receive the same priority, security, interest rate and fees as
other participants in the same tranche or other portion of the loan in which
the Fund is a participant), except to the extent such difference is related to
services performed with respect to the facility or their role in the facility;
(22)
and in the case of the primary syndication of a loan facility where the Trading
Entity is lead agent with primary responsibility for structuring, arranging or
placing such facility, the Fund will participate in the facility only where,
based on relevant information that is reasonably available to the Adviser, the
Adviser believes that, upon conclusion of allocations to holders of record in
the primary syndication of the facility, less than 50% of the participations
will be held by Funds (and other discretionary advisory accounts) managed by
the Adviser. With respect to investments
in the same company (other than syndicated loan transactions), the Fund will
invest in a type or class of securities (
e.g.
, equity
securities) of the company only where, based on relevant information that is
reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser believes that, upon the close
of the investment transaction, less than 50% of the dollar amount of the
securities of such type or class will be owned by Funds (and other
discretionary advisory accounts) managed by the Adviser.
(iii)
The Order Would
be Appropriate in the Public Interest and Consistent with the Policies of the
Funds
Prohibiting the MS Funds from engaging in Securities Transactions
involving the Citi Trading Entity (and the Citi Funds with the MS Trading
Entity) can harm the interests of the shareholders of the Funds by preventing
the Adviser from investing in a way which is most beneficial to the
shareholders, policies which Sections 17(a) and 17(d) of the Act were
meant to
(22)
See
, e.g., note
20,
supra.
43
further.
Given that the Securities Transactions do not involve the threat of
overreaching, it would be contrary to the interests of the Funds shareholders
to prohibit them.
The Trading Entities typically are leading broker-dealers (or banks) in
transactions involving a wide variety of asset classes, including the types of
securities in which the Funds seek to invest.
Further, consolidation in the financial services industry has led funds
and their advisers to rely increasingly on a smaller number of institutions for
reliable information and access to the securities markets. Permitting the Securities Transactions that
would be prohibited or restricted by Section 17 of the Act would enable
the Funds to continue to engage in transactions with the same universe of
securities dealers as prior to formation of the Joint Venture, allowing the
Funds to achieve better transaction terms and portfolio diversification and
liquidity than if relief were not granted.
Prohibiting the Securities Transactions would significantly narrow this
universe and potentially impair the ability to diversify and to achieve
favorable terms or best price and execution, resulting in potential harm to
shareholders of the Funds. Finally, as
noted earlier, each of the Funds may engage in transactions in fixed-income
securities and, consequently, granting the Order would further the policies of
the Funds.
(iv)
The Securities
Transactions Are Consistent With the Purposes of the Act and the Protection of
Investors
As noted above, the independence of the businesses of Morgan Stanley
and Citigroup generally will provide protection to investors, and transactions
will be conducted on essentially the same arms-length basis as existed prior
to the closing of the Joint Venture.
Moreover, the Advisers and the Funds will adopt and monitor procedures
designed to ensure that the terms of particular Securities Transactions
involving the relevant Trading Entities are fair and reasonable and do not
involve overreaching. For example,
before a Fund and a Trading Entity enter into any principal transaction, the
Adviser will obtain competitive quotations for the same securities
44
(or in the case of securities for which
quotations for the same securities are not available, competitive quotations
for Comparable Securities)(23) from at least two other unaffiliated dealers
that are in a position to quote favorable prices. For each such Securities Transaction, the
Adviser will determine, based upon the information reasonably available to the
Fund and the Adviser and deemed relevant by it, that the price available from
the Trading Entity is at least as favorable as that available from other
sources. In addition, each Funds Board,
including a majority of its disinterested Directors/Trustees, will approve, and
the Fund will implement, procedures governing all Securities Transactions,
including principal transactions between the applicable Trading Entity and the
Funds. In a TOBs transaction proposed to
be structured after the closing of the Joint Venture, the relevant Funds Board
will adopt procedures designed to assure that such transaction is in the best
interests of the Fund, taking into consideration aspects unique to such
arrangement.
IX.
Precedent
Applicants submit that the policy considerations that supported the
Commissions grant of relief from Section 17(a) of the Act and
permitting certain transactions pursuant to Section 17(d) of the Act
and Rule 17d-1 thereunder in
Keeper Holdings, LLC, et
al.
(
Keeper
), Investment Company Act
Release Nos. 25145 (August 29, 2001) (Notice) and 25171 (Sept. 25, 2001)
(Order), are particularly relevant to Applicants request for relief. In
Keeper
, as
discussed further below, the Commission required few conditions for the relief
sought, presumably because it determined that the risks of self-dealing and
overreaching that Section 17 is designed to prevent were sufficiently
de minimis
in covered transactions between two entities
which were
(23) The term Comparable Securities refers
to securities with substantially identical maturities, credit risk and
repayment terms (including floating or fixed-rate coupons, attached options, or
any other provisions that affect the expected size or timing of the payments
from the securities) as the securities to be purchased or sold.
45
second-tier affiliates solely by virtue of a
joint venture between the parent company of each such entity. Of the relevant exemptive orders,
Keeper
is the most structurally similar to Applicants situation. Applicants note that
Keeper
contained far fewer and less burdensome conditions than
American
Century
(described below); however, Applicants have included in
section X below conditions based on
American Century
(and certain other precedent) to establish fully the basis for exemption due to
the nature and scope of the Joint Venture.
In contrast, the Joint Venture in
Keeper
provided
primarily recordkeeping and administrative services to retirement plans and
health and welfare benefit plans, and, to a lesser extent, provided investment
advisory, broker-dealer and outsourcing services to such plans.
Applicants also refer the Commission to the order granted in
American Century Companies, Inc., et al.
(
American Century
), Investment Company Act Release Nos.
25449 (March 1, 2002) (Notice) and 25501 (March 27, 2002)
(Order). In
American
Century
, in effect, the Commission determined that the risks of
self-dealing and overreaching that Section 17 is designed to prevent were
mitigated sufficiently in transactions between certain funds and certain
broker-dealer entities, where the funds and the broker-dealer entities were
second-tier affiliates solely by virtue of the interest of the parent company
of the broker-dealer entities in the parent company of the funds advisers.
The applicants in
Keeper
and
American Century
were able to avoid self-dealing and
overreaching in large part due to the separation maintained between each entity
desiring to engage in the relevant transactions and the implementation of procedures
designed to prevent conflicts of interest.
Similarly, as addressed above, the MS Advisers will operate independent
of the Citi Trading Entity, and the Citi Adviser of the MS Trading Entity, and
Applicants have proposed conditions for relief that will ensure ample
separation, prevent self-dealing and
46
overreaching and avoid conflicts of
interest. In addition, the affiliation
between the broker-dealer entities and the advisers in
American
Century
was more direct than the second-tier affiliation between MS
Funds and MS Advisers and the Citi Trading Entity (and the Citi Funds and Citi
Adviser and the MS Trading Entity) created by the closing of the Joint
Venture. In
American
Century
, the parent of the broker-dealer entities held a 45%
economic interest (approximately 8.7% of the voting interests) in the parent of
the advisers, which parent was controlled by the Stowers family. By contrast, the affiliation between the MS
Funds, the MS Advisers and the Citi Trading Entity (and the Citi Funds, the
Citi Adviser and the MS Trading Entity) will result solely from the interests
of CGMI, and the parent of the MS Advisers, Morgan Stanley, in an independently
operated entity, the Joint Venture. The
Citi Trading Entity will have no interest in Morgan Stanley and Morgan Stanley
will have no interest in the Citi Trading Entity. Thus, while
American
Century
required board approval for each joint transaction involving
material negotiation between the relevant parties, Applicants submit that such
a requirement in this case would place an unfair burden on a Funds Board given
the breadth of transactions in which the Funds are expected to engage, and,
moreover, is unnecessary given the other conditions imposed on the Funds, the
Advisers and the Trading Entities in order to prevent the Funds and their
Advisers from engaging in any trades as a result of an incentive based on the
existence of the Joint Venture.
In addition to
Keeper
and
American Century
, for reasons discussed above relating to
the underlying purpose of Section 17(a) and the absence of the
potential for self-dealing, Applicants submit that the policy considerations
that supported the Commissions issuances of other orders granting relief from Section 17(a) apply
equally here, including:
Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., et al.
,
Investment Company Act Release Nos. 28125 (Jan. 18, 2008) (Notice)
47
and 28150 (Feb. 13, 2008) (Order);
Lehman Brothers Asset Management LLC, et al.
, Investment
Company Act Release Nos. 27920 (Aug. 1, 2007) (Notice) and 27957 (Aug. 28,
2007) (Order);
J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., et
al.
, Investment Company Act Release Nos. 26446 (May 10, 2004)
(Notice) and 26466 (June 8, 2004) (Order);
J.P. Morgan
Fleming Asset Management (USA), Inc., et al.
, Investment
Company Act Release Nos. 25574 (May 15, 2002) (Notice) and 25608 (June 11,
2002) (Order);
Goldman Sachs Trust, et al.
,
Investment Company Act Release Nos. 24834 (Jan. 23, 2001) and 24877 (Feb. 21,
2001) (Order); and
MONY Life Insurance
Company, et al.
, Investment Company Act Release Nos. 24073 (October 5,
1999) (Notice) and 24120 (November 2, 1999) (Order). Applicants note that the Commission has
granted relief in the above orders for transactions between both second- and
first-tier affiliates. While Applicants
recognize that the conditions in such orders may be more strict in certain
respects, the affiliation between the parties was also more direct. By contrast, Applicants request relief to
engage in Securities Transactions between second-tier affiliates only.
For reasons discussed above relating to the underlying purpose of Section 17(d) and
the absence of the potential for self-dealing, Applicants submit that the policy
considerations that supported the Commissions issuances of the
Keeper
and
American Century
orders granting relief from Section 17(d) also apply here.
See also
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, et al.
(
MassMutual
), Investment Company Act Release Nos. 24557 (July 13,
2000) (Notice) and 24595 (August 8, 2000) (Order), permitting
coinvestments by certain registered and unregistered funds and their investment
advisers. Applicants note that
MassMutual
contained more conditions than in this Application,
however, the affiliation in that situation was more direct than the second-tier
affiliations involved here.
48
X.
Applicants
Conditions
Applicants agree that the Order granting the requested relief will be
subject to the following conditions:
A.
Structural
(1)
Citigroup will
control none of the MS Advisers or the MS Funds or any principal underwriter
for the MS Funds,(24) directly or indirectly, within the meaning of Section 2(a)(9) of
the Act. The Order will remain in effect
only so long as Morgan Stanley, or such other entity not controlling,
controlled by or under common control with Citigroup, primarily controls the MS
Advisers.
(2)
Morgan Stanley
will control none of the Citi Adviser or the Citi Funds or any principal
underwriter for the Citi Funds,(25) directly or indirectly, within the meaning
of Section 2(a)(9) of the Act.
The Order will remain in effect only so long as Citigroup, or such other
entity not controlling, controlled by or under common control with Morgan
Stanley, primarily controls the Citi Adviser.
(3)
Citigroup will
not directly or indirectly consult with Morgan Stanley, the MS Advisers or any
portfolio manager of the MS Advisers concerning securities purchases or sales
or the selection of a broker or dealer for any Securities Transaction placed or
to be placed on behalf of a MS Fund, or otherwise seek to influence the choice
of broker or dealer for any Securities Transaction by a MS Fund other than in
the normal course of sales activities of the same nature that are
(24) Other than with respect to certain newly
organized closed-end funds, described
supra
at note 3.
(25) Other than with respect to certain newly
organized closed-end funds, described
supra
at note 3.
49
being carried out during the same time period with respect to
unaffiliated institutional clients of the Citi Trading Entity, or that existed
between the Citi Trading Entity and the MS Advisers prior to consummation of
the Joint Venture.
(4)
Morgan Stanley
will not directly or indirectly consult with Citigroup, the Citi Adviser or any
portfolio manager of the Citi Adviser concerning securities purchases or sales
or the selection of a broker or dealer for any Securities Transaction placed or
to be placed on behalf of a Citi Fund, or otherwise seek to influence the
choice of broker or dealer for any Securities Transaction by a Citi Fund other
than in the normal course of sales activities of the same nature that are being
carried out during the same time period with respect to unaffiliated
institutional clients of the MS Trading Entity, or that existed between the MS
Trading Entity and the Citi Adviser prior to consummation of the Joint Venture.
(5)
No officer,
director or employee of MSSB will seek to influence in any way the terms of any
Securities Transaction covered by the Order.
(6)
The MS Advisers
and the Citi Trading Entity will operate as separate organizations, with
separate capitalization, separate books and records, separate officers and
employees, and physically separate offices.
The Citi Trading Entity will adopt, and implement, policies that
prohibit the Citi Trading Entity from (i) linking any approval or action
relating to MSSB to any action by any MS Fund or by any MS Adviser relating to
any MS Fund or (ii) using the existence of MSSB as a basis for seeking to
persuade any MS Fund or MS Adviser to engage in business with the Citi Trading
Entity. The MS Advisers have adopted
policies
50
designed to keep information about client holdings and transactions on
a confidential basis, prior to any public disclosure. Pursuant to these policies, the MS Advisers
will designate information regarding investment advisory and portfolio
execution matters relating to the MS Funds as information that may not be
communicated between MSSB, on one hand, and the MS Advisers, on the other hand,
prior to any public disclosure.
(7)
The Citi
Adviser and the MS Trading Entity will operate as separate organizations, with
separate capitalization, separate books and records, separate officers and
employees, and physically separate offices.
The MS Trading Entity will adopt, and implement, policies that prohibit
the MS Trading Entity from (i) linking any approval or action relating to
MSSB to any action by any Citi Fund or by any Citi Adviser relating to any Citi
Fund or (ii) using the existence of MSSB as a basis for seeking to
persuade any Citi Fund or Citi Adviser to engage in business with the MS
Trading Entity. The Citi Adviser has
adopted policies designed to keep information about client holdings and
transactions on a confidential basis, prior to any public disclosure. Pursuant to these policies, the Citi Adviser
will designate information regarding investment advisory and portfolio
execution matters relating to the Citi Funds as information that may not be
communicated between MSSB, on the one hand, and the Citi Adviser, on the other
hand, prior to any public disclosure.
(8)
Citigroup will
not adopt any compensation scheme any component of which is based on (i) a
factor that treats the MS Funds differently than unaffiliated counterparties or
(ii) the amount of business done by the Citi Funds with the MS
51
Trading Entity except to the extent such business might affect
indirectly the profits or losses of the Citi Adviser.
(9)
Morgan Stanley will not
adopt any compensation scheme any component of which is based on (i) a
factor that treats the Citi Funds differently than unaffiliated counterparties
or (ii) the amount of business done by the MS Funds with the Citi Trading
Entity except to the extent such business might affect indirectly the profits
or losses of the MS Advisers.
(10)
The respective legal/compliance
departments of the MS Advisers and the Citi Trading Entity, and of the Citi
Adviser and the MS Trading Entity, will prepare guidelines for their respective
personnel to make certain that Securities Transactions effected pursuant to the
Order comply with its conditions, and that the respective Advisers and Trading
Entities maintain an arms-length relationship.
The respective compliance departments of the Advisers and Trading
Entities will monitor periodically the activities of the Advisers and Trading Entities,
respectively, to make certain that the conditions to the Order are met.
B.
Transactional
With respect to each Securities Transaction entered into or effected
pursuant to the Order:
(1)
Each Funds Board, including
a majority of its disinterested directors/trustees (the Required Majority) or
their designee, shall approve, and the Fund shall implement, procedures
governing all transactions pursuant to the Order and the Funds Board shall no
less frequently than quarterly review all such transactions and receive and
review a report of those transactions.
Such report, which will be
52
prepared by the Funds Adviser, and reviewed and approved by the Funds
Chief Compliance Officer, will indicate for each transaction that the
conditions of the Order have been satisfied, and will include a discussion of
any significant changes in the volume, type or terms of transactions between
the relevant Fund and Trading Entity, and a determination that legitimate
reasons exist for such changes.
(2)
For each transaction, the MS
Advisers will adhere to a best execution standard and will consider only the
interests of the MS Funds and will not take into account the impact of a MS
Funds investment decision on the Citi Trading Entity or its affiliates. For each transaction, the Citi Adviser will
adhere to a best execution standard and will consider only the interests of
the Citi Funds and will not take into account the impact of a Citi Funds
investment decision on the MS Trading Entity or its affiliates. Before entering into any such transaction,
the Adviser will determine that the transaction is consistent with the
investment objectives and policies of the Fund and is in the best interests of
the Fund and its shareholders.
(3)
Each Fund will (i) for
so long as the Order is relied upon, maintain and preserve in an easily
accessible place a written copy of the procedures and conditions (and any
modifications thereto) that are described herein, and (ii) maintain and
preserve for a period of not less than six years from the end of the fiscal
year in which any Securities Transaction in which the Funds Adviser knows that
both a Trading Entity and the Fund directly or indirectly have an interest
occurs, the first two years in an easily accessible place, a written record of
each such transaction setting forth a description of the security purchased or
sold by the Fund, a
53
description of the Trading Entitys interest or role in the
transaction, the terms of the transaction, and the information or materials
upon which the determination was made that each such transaction was made in
accordance with the procedures set forth above and conditions in this
Application.
(4)
Except as otherwise provided
in 4(a) and 4(b) below, before any secondary market principal
transaction is entered into between a Fund and a Trading Entity, the Funds
Adviser must obtain a competitive quotation for the same securities (or in the
case of securities for which quotations for the same securities are not
available, a competitive quotation for Comparable Securities) from at least two
unaffiliated dealers that are in a position to quote favorable market
prices. For each such transaction, the
Adviser will determine, based upon the quotations and such other relevant
information (such as available transaction prices and any other information
regarding the value of the securities) as is reasonably available to the
Adviser, that the price available from the Trading Entity is at least as
favorable as that available from other sources.
(a)
With respect to
each such transaction involving repurchase agreements, a Fund will enter into
such agreements only where the Adviser has determined, based upon relevant
information reasonably available to the Adviser, that the income to be earned
from the repurchase agreement is at least equal to that available from other
sources. Before any repurchase
agreements are entered into pursuant to the exemption, the Fund or the Adviser
must obtain competitive quotations from at least two unaffiliated dealers with
respect to repurchase agreements comparable to the type of
54
repurchase
agreement involved, except that if quotations are unavailable from two such
dealers, only one other competitive quotation is required.
(b)
With respect to
each such transaction involving variable rate demand notes for which dealer
quotes are not ordinarily available, a Fund will only undertake purchases and
sales where the Adviser has determined, based on relevant information
reasonably available to the Adviser, that the income earned from the variable
rate demand note is at least equal to that of variable rate demand notes of
comparable quality that are available from other sources.
(5)
With respect to securities
offered in a primary market underwritten transaction, a Fund will undertake
such purchase from the Trading Entity only where the Adviser has determined,
based upon relevant information reasonably available to the Adviser, that the
securities were purchased at a price that is no more than the price paid by
each other purchaser of securities from the Trading Entity or other members of
the underwriting syndicate in that offering or in any concurrent offering of
the securities, and on the same terms as such other purchasers (except in the
case of an offering conducted under the laws of a country other than the United
States, for any rights to purchase that are required by law to be granted to
existing securities holders of the issuer).
(6)
In the case of an
arrangement regarding a tender option bond trust for which a Trading Entity
acts as a liquidity provider or remarketing agent and owns an interest (or may
own an interest as a result of such capacity):
55
(a)
where such arrangement was
structured prior to the closing of the Joint Venture, the terms of such
arrangement will not change after such closing without the approval of the
Required Majority of the Funds Board, based on a finding that it is in the
best interests of the Fund to continue such arrangement, as proposed to be
modified; provided that if the Trading Entity owns the residual interest and a
Fund owns the floating rate interest, such Board approval will not be required
if: (i) the Fund is eligible to
participate in any discretionary tender on the same basis as any similarly
situated holder of floating rate interests, (ii) the Fund must participate
in any mandatory tender on the same basis as each similarly situated holder and
(iii) less than 50% of the floating rate interests are owned by Funds (and
other discretionary accounts) managed by the Funds Adviser.
(b)
in the case of such
arrangements proposed to be structured after the closing of the Joint Venture:
(i) the Required Majority of the Funds Board will adopt
procedures designed to assure that it is in the best interests of the Fund to
participate in any such arrangements.
Such procedures will take into consideration, among other things, the
terms of the arrangement, the nature of the respective interests in the trusts
that may be held by the Trading Entity and the Funds, and the circumstances
under which the Trading Entity may cause termination of the trust and the transfer
of the underlying bonds back to the Fund; and
56
(ii) where a Trading Entity owns the residual interest and a
Fund owns a floating rate interest: (1) the
Fund must be eligible to participate in any discretionary tender on the same
basis as any similarly situated holder of floating rate interests, (2) the
Fund must participate in any mandatory tender on the same basis as each
similarly situated holder and (3) less than 50% of the floating rate
interests must be owned by Funds (and other discretionary accounts) managed by
the Funds Adviser.
(c)
before any such arrangements
are entered into pursuant to the exemption, where the Fund holds the residual
interest, the Fund or the Adviser must obtain competitive quotations from at
least two unaffiliated institutions with respect to fees charged by such
institutions for acting as liquidity provider or remarketing agent, except that
if quotations are unavailable from two such institutions, only one other competitive
quotation is required. Any fees paid to
the Trading Entity as liquidity provider or remarketing agent will be no
greater than the lowest of such quotations, unless the Board finds that such
difference is justified by a corresponding difference in the nature of the
services provided.
(7)
With respect to ABS or MBS
that are newly issued by special purpose entities sponsored by a Trading Entity
(or an affiliate) under circumstances in which both the following are
true: (i) the residual interest in
the special purpose entity is owned directly or indirectly by the Trading
Entity (or an affiliate), and (ii) the Trading Entity (or an affiliate)
acts as the servicer of assets, purchases of such
57
securities will be made by a Fund only where, based on relevant
information that is reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser believes
that, upon the close of the transaction, Funds (and other discretionary
advisory accounts) managed by the Adviser will purchase less than 50% of the
dollar amount of securities of each class acquired by the Fund in the
aggregate, and the Fund participates in each such class on the same terms as
other purchasers of that class.
(8)
With respect to a syndicated
loan facility in which a Fund and a Trading Entity participate in a manner that
might otherwise be prohibited by Section 17(d) of the Act and Rule 17d-1
thereunder, (a) their participation will involve no coordination between
the Trading Entity and the Fund beyond that of a type the Trading Entity
engages in with other unaffiliated participants in such facility, (b) the
terms of the Funds participation in the facility (to the extent within the
knowledge and control of the Trading Entity) will be on a basis no less
advantageous than that of other similarly situated participants (
i.e.
, the Fund will receive the same priority, security,
interest rate and fees as other participants in the same tranche or other
portion of the loan in which the Fund is a participant), except to the extent
such difference is related to services performed with respect to the facility
or their role in the facility and (c) in the case of the primary
syndication of a loan facility where the Trading Entity is lead agent with
primary responsibility for structuring, arranging or placing such facility, the
Fund will participate in the facility only where, based on relevant information
that is reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser believes that, upon
conclusion of allocations to holders of record in the primary syndication of
the facility, less than 50% of the participations will be
58
held by Funds (and other discretionary advisory accounts) managed by
the Adviser.
(9)
With respect to situations
in which a Fund and a Trading Entity have knowingly invested in the same
company and that might otherwise be prohibited by Section 17(d) of
the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder (other than a syndicated loan
transaction, which is subject to Transactional Condition (8) above), (a) the
Funds and the Trading Entitys investment will involve no coordination between
the Trading Entity and the Fund beyond that of a type the Trading Entity
engages in with other unaffiliated investors in such company and (b) the
Fund will participate or invest in a type or class of securities (
e.g.
, equity securities) of the company only where, based on
relevant information that is reasonably available to the Adviser, the Adviser
believes that, upon the close of the investment transaction, less than 50% of
the dollar amount of the securities of such type or class will be owned by
Funds (and other discretionary advisory accounts) managed by the Adviser.
XI.
Conclusion
Applicants submit that the Securities Transactions described in this Application
satisfy the standards of Sections 6(c) and 17(b) and Rule 17d-1. There is no danger of overreaching or
self-dealing by a Trading Entity in
connection with a Securities Transaction, and there will be no conflict of
interest associated with an Advisers decision to engage in a Securities
Transaction with a Trading Entity on behalf of a Fund. Moreover, the Order is consistent with the
policies of the Funds and the protection of investors, as the Advisers will
manage the Funds in accordance
59
with the policies and investment objectives
of the Funds absent any influence by the Trading Entities. Finally, permitting the Securities
Transactions will be appropriate in the public interest and consistent with
general purposes of the Act because the ability to engage in Securities
Transactions increases the likelihood of a Fund achieving best price and
execution in such transactions and results in none of the abuses that the Act
was designed to prevent.(26)
Based upon the foregoing, Applicants respectfully submit that it is
appropriate in the public interest and consistent with the protection of
investors and the purposes and policies underlying the Act to issue an Order
pursuant to Sections 6(c) and 17(b) of the Act exempting Securities
Transactions from the provisions of Section 17(a) of the Act and, in
the case of Joint Transactions, permitting such Securities Transactions
pursuant to Section 17(d) and Rule 17d-1 of the Act on the basis
also that the Funds participation is no less advantageous than the Trading
Entitys unless such difference is justified by services performed or role in
the transaction.
XII.
Procedural
Matters
Pursuant to Rule 0-2(f) under the Act, Applicants state that
written or oral communications regarding this Application should be directed to
the names and addresses indicated on the cover page of this Application.
The address of each Applicant is as follows: The principal offices of each of the MS Funds
are currently located at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10036. The principal offices of each of the MS
Advisers are currently located at 522 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
10036. The principal office of MS &
Co. is currently located at 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036. The principal office of LMP Corporate Loan
Fund Inc. is currently
(26)
See
Section
1(b)(2) of the Act,
supra
.
60
located at 55 Water Street, New York, New
York 10041. The principal office of Citigroup
Alternative Investments LLC is located at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10043. The principal office of CGMI is
located at 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013. The principal office of Citibank, N.A. is
located at 399 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10043. The principal office of Citibank Canada is
located at 123 Front Street West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2M3. The principal office of Citibank
International plc is located at Citigroup Centre, Canada Square, Canary Wharf,
London E14 5LB. The principal office of
Citigroup Global Markets Limited is located at Citigroup Centre, Canada Square,
Canary Wharf, London E14 5LB. The
principal office of Citigroup Financial Products Inc. is located at 388
Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013.
Applicants desire that the Commission issue the Order pursuant to Rule 0-5
under the Act without conducting a hearing.
All requirements of the charter documents of each Applicant have been
complied with in connection with the execution and filing of this
Application. Each person signing the
Application is fully authorized to do so.
The verifications on behalf of each Applicant required by Rule 0-2(d) are
attached hereto as Exhibits A-1 to A-13.
A statement of authorization with respect to the filing of this
Application by each Applicant and accompanying resolutions by each Funds Board
required by Rule 0-2(c)(1) are attached hereto as Exhibits B-1 to
B-2.
61
The parties have executed
this Second Amended and Restated Application in one or more counterparts.
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Signed on behalf of each
of the funds listed in Schedule A
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Name:
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Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Title:
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Vice President
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MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT
INC.
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Name:
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Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Title:
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Managing Director
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MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT ADVISORS
INC.
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Name:
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Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Title:
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Managing Director
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VAN KAMPEN ASSET
MANAGEMENT
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Name:
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Stefanie V. Chang Yu
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Title:
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Managing Director
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MORGAN STANLEY &
CO. INCORPORATED
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Roger Gilbert
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Name:
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Roger Gilbert
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Title:
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Managing Director
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LMP CORPORATE LOAN FUND
INC.
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Robert Frenkel
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Name:
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Robert Frenkel
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Title:
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Secretary and Chief Legal
Officer
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CITIGROUP ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS
LLC
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Millie Kim
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Name:
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Millie Kim
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Title:
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General Counsel
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CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
INC.
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Scott L. Flood
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Name:
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Scott L. Flood
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Title:
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Co-General Counsel
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CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS
LIMITED
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Date: August 7, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Jeanne Campanelli
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|
|
Name:
|
Jeanne Campanelli
|
|
|
Title:
|
Authorized Signatory
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CITIGROUP FINANCIAL
PRODUCTS INC.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: August 7, 2009
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Scott L. Flood
|
|
|
Name:
|
Scott L. Flood
|
|
|
Title:
|
Co-General Counsel
|
63
|
|
CITIBANK, N.A.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: August 7, 2009
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Scott L. Flood
|
|
|
Name:
|
Scott L. Flood
|
|
|
Title:
|
Vice President
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CITIBANK CANADA
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: July 21, 2009
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Charles Alexander
|
|
|
Name:
|
Charles Alexander
|
|
|
Title:
|
General Counsel
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CITIBANK INTERNATIONAL PLC
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Date: July 21, 2009
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Jill Robson &
Simon Cumming
|
|
|
Name:
|
Jill Robson &
Simon Cumming
|
|
|
Title:
|
Attorneys
|
64
Schedule A
MORGAN STANLEY
RETAIL AND INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
AS OF AUGUST 7, 2009
RETAIL FUNDS
OPEN-END
RETAIL FUNDS
TAXABLE MONEY MARKET FUNDS
Active Assets Government
Securities Trust
Active Assets Institutional
Government Securities Trust
Active Assets Institutional
Money Trust
Active Assets Money Trust
Morgan Stanley Liquid Asset
Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley U.S.
Government Money Market Trust
TAX-EXEMPT MONEY MARKET
FUNDS
Active Assets California
Tax-Free Trust
Active Assets Tax-Free Trust
Morgan Stanley California Tax-Free
Daily Income Trust
Morgan Stanley New York
Municipal Money Market Trust
Morgan Stanley Tax-Free
Daily Income Trust
EQUITY FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Capital
Opportunities Trust
Morgan Stanley Dividend
Growth Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley
Equally-Weighted S&P 500 Fund
Morgan Stanley European
Equity Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley Focus Growth
Fund
Morgan Stanley Fundamental
Value Fund
Morgan Stanley Global
Advantage Fund
Morgan Stanley Global
Dividend Growth Securities
Morgan Stanley Global
Infrastructure Fund
Morgan Stanley Health
Sciences Trust
Morgan Stanley International
Fund
Morgan Stanley International
Value Equity Fund
Morgan Stanley Mid Cap
Growth Fund
Morgan Stanley Mid-Cap Value
Fund
Morgan Stanley Natural
Resource Development Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley Pacific
Growth Fund Inc.
Morgan Stanley Real Estate
Fund
65
Morgan Stanley S&P 500
Index Fund
Morgan Stanley Series Funds
·
Morgan Stanley Commodities
Alpha Fund
·
Morgan Stanley Alternative Opportunities Fund
·
Morgan Stanley U.S. Multi-Cap Alpha Fund
Morgan Stanley Small-Mid
Special Value Fund
Morgan Stanley Special
Growth Fund
Morgan Stanley Special Value
Fund
Morgan Stanley Technology
Fund
Morgan Stanley Value Fund
BALANCED FUND
Morgan Stanley Balanced Fund
ASSET ALLOCATION FUND
Morgan Stanley Strategist
Fund
TAXABLE FIXED-INCOME FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Convertible
Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley Flexible
Income Trust
Morgan Stanley FX Series Funds
·
Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Plus
Strategy Portfolio
·
Morgan Stanley FX Alpha Strategy Portfolio
Morgan Stanley High Yield
Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley Limited
Duration U.S. Government Trust
Morgan Stanley Mortgage
Securities Trust
Morgan Stanley U.S.
Government Securities Trust
TAX-EXEMPT FIXED-INCOME
FUNDS
Morgan Stanley California
Tax-Free Income Fund
Morgan Stanley Limited Term
Municipal Trust
Morgan Stanley New York
Tax-Free Income Fund
Morgan Stanley Tax-Exempt
Securities Trust
SPECIAL PURPOSE FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Select
Dimensions Investment Series, on behalf of its series
·
Balanced Portfolio
·
Capital Growth Portfolio
·
Capital Opportunities Portfolio
·
Dividend Growth Portfolio
·
Equally-Weighted S&P 500 Portfolio
·
Flexible Income Portfolio
·
Focus Growth Portfolio
66
·
Global Infrastructure Portfolio
·
Mid Cap Growth Portfolio
·
Money Market Portfolio
Morgan Stanley Variable
Investment Series
·
Aggressive Equity Portfolio
·
Capital Opportunities Portfolio
·
Dividend Growth Portfolio
·
European Equity Portfolio
·
Global Dividend Growth Portfolio
·
Global Infrastructure Portfolio
·
High Yield Portfolio
·
Income Builder Portfolio
·
Income Plus Portfolio
·
Limited Duration Portfolio
·
Money Market Portfolio
·
S&P 500 Index Portfolio
·
Strategist Portfolio
CLOSED-END
RETAIL FUNDS
TAXABLE FIXED-INCOME
CLOSED-END FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Income
Securities Inc.
Morgan Stanley Prime Income
Trust
TAX-EXEMPT FIXED-INCOME
CLOSED-END FUNDS
Morgan Stanley California
Insured Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley California
Quality Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured
California Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured
Municipal Bond Trust
Morgan Stanley Insured
Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Insured
Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Insured
Municipal Trust
Morgan Stanley Municipal
Income Opportunities Trust
Morgan Stanley Municipal
Income Opportunities Trust II
Morgan Stanley Municipal
Income Opportunities Trust III
Morgan Stanley Municipal
Premium Income Trust
Morgan Stanley New York
Quality Municipal Securities
Morgan Stanley Quality
Municipal Income Trust
Morgan Stanley Quality
Municipal Investment Trust
Morgan Stanley Quality
Municipal Securities
67
INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
OPEN-END
INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Institutional
Fund, Inc., on behalf of its series
·
Active International
Allocation Portfolio
·
Capital Growth Portfolio
·
Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio
·
Emerging Markets Portfolio
·
Focus Growth Portfolio
·
Global Franchise Portfolio
·
Global Real Estate Portfolio
·
Global Value Equity Portfolio
·
International Equity Portfolio
·
International Growth Equity Portfolio
·
International Real Estate Portfolio
·
International Small Cap Portfolio
·
Large Cap Relative Value Portfolio
·
Small Company Growth Portfolio
·
U.S. Real Estate Portfolio
·
U.S. Small/Mid Cap Value Portfolio
Morgan Stanley Institutional
Fund Trust, on behalf of its series
·
Advisory Portfolio
·
Advisory Portfolio II
·
Balanced Portfolio
·
Core Fixed Income Portfolio
·
Core Plus Fixed Income Portfolio
·
Intermediate Duration Portfolio
·
International Fixed Income Portfolio
·
Investment Grade Fixed Income Portfolio
·
Limited Duration Portfolio
·
Long Duration Fixed Income Portfolio
·
Mid Cap Growth Portfolio
·
Municipal Portfolio
·
U.S. Mid Cap Value Portfolio
·
U.S. Small Cap Value Portfolio
·
Value Portfolio
Morgan Stanley Institutional
Liquidity Funds, on behalf of its series
·
Government Portfolio
·
Money Market Portfolio
·
Prime Portfolio
·
Tax-Exempt Portfolio
·
Treasury Portfolio
·
Government Securities Portfolio
·
Treasury Securities Portfolio
The Universal Institutional
Funds, Inc., on behalf of its series
·
Core Plus Fixed Income
Portfolio
68
·
Emerging Markets Debt Portfolio
·
Emerging Markets Equity Portfolio
·
Equity and Income Portfolio
·
Capital Growth Portfolio
·
Global Franchise Portfolio
·
Global Real Estate Portfolio
·
Global Value Equity Portfolio
·
High Yield Portfolio
·
International Growth Equity Portfolio
·
International Magnum Portfolio
·
Mid Cap Growth Portfolio
·
Small Company Growth Portfolio
·
U.S. Mid Cap Value Portfolio
·
U.S. Real Estate Portfolio
·
Value Portfolio
CLOSED-END
INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS
Morgan Stanley Asia-Pacific
Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley China A
Share Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Eastern
Europe Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Emerging
Markets Debt Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Emerging
Markets Domestic Debt Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Emerging
Markets Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Frontier
Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley Global
Opportunity Bond Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley High Yield
Fund, Inc.
Morgan Stanley India
Investment Fund, Inc.
The Latin American Discovery
Fund, Inc.
The Malaysia Fund, Inc.
The Thai Fund, Inc.
The Turkish Investment Fund, Inc.
69
VAN KAMPEN FUNDS
AS OF AUGUST 7, 2009
OPEN-END
FUNDS
Van Kampen Capital Growth
Fund
Van Kampen Comstock Fund
Van Kampen Corporate Bond
Fund
Van Kampen Enterprise Fund
Van Kampen Equity and Income
Fund
Van Kampen Equity Trust, on
behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen Asset Allocation
Conservative Fund
·
Van Kampen Asset Allocation Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen Asset Allocation Moderate Fund
·
Van Kampen Core Equity Fund
·
Van Kampen Global Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen Leaders Fund
·
Van Kampen Mid Cap Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen Small Cap Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen Small Cap Value Fund
·
Van Kampen Utility Fund
·
Van Kampen Value Opportunities Fund
Van Kampen Equity Trust II,
on behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen American
Franchise Fund
·
Van Kampen Equity Premium Income Fund
·
Van Kampen International Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen International Advantage Fund
·
Van Kampen Technology Fund
·
Van Kampen Core Growth Fund
Van Kampen Exchange Fund
Van Kampen Government
Securities Fund
Van Kampen Growth and Income
Fund
Van Kampen Harbor Fund
Van Kampen High Yield Fund
Van Kampen Life Investment
Trust, on behalf of its series
·
LIT Capital Growth Portfolio
·
LIT Comstock Portfolio
·
LIT Global Tactical Asset Allocation
Portfolio
·
LIT Government Portfolio
·
LIT Growth and Income Portfolio
·
LIT Mid Cap Growth Portfolio
·
LIT Money Market Portfolio
Van Kampen Limited Duration
Fund
Van Kampen Money Market Fund
Van Kampen Pennsylvania Tax
Free Income Fund
Van Kampen Real Estate
Securities Fund
70
Van Kampen Retirement
Strategy Trust, on behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen 2010 Retirement
Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2015 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2020 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2025 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2030 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2035 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2040 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2045 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen 2050 Retirement Strategy Fund
·
Van Kampen In Retirement Strategy Fund
Van Kampen Senior Loan Fund
Van Kampen Series Fund, Inc.,
on behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen American Value
Fund
·
Van Kampen Emerging Markets Fund
·
Van Kampen Equity Growth Fund
·
Van Kampen Global Equity Allocation Fund
·
Van Kampen Global Franchise Fund
·
Van Kampen Global Value Equity Fund
Van Kampen Tax-Exempt Trust
Van Kampen Tax Free Money
Fund
Van Kampen Tax Free Trust,
on behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen California
Insured Tax Free Fund
·
Van Kampen Insured Tax Free Income Fund
·
Van Kampen Intermediate Term Municipal Income
Fund
·
Van Kampen Municipal Income Fund
·
Van Kampen New York Tax Free Income Fund
·
Van Kampen Strategic Municipal Income Fund
Van Kampen Trust
Van Kampen Trust II, on
behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen Global Bond Fund
·
Van Kampen Global Tactical Asset Allocation
Fund
Van Kampen Partners Trust,
on behalf of its series
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy All
Cap Core Fund
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy Enhanced Dividend
Fund
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy Global Fund
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy International Fund
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy Large Cap Growth
Fund
·
Van Kampen OShaughnessy Small/Mid Cap Growth
Fund
Van Kampen U.S. Government
Trust
CLOSED-END
FUNDS
Van Kampen Advantage
Municipal Income Trust II
Van Kampen Bond Fund
Van Kampen California Value
Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Dynamic Credit
Opportunities Fund
71
Van Kampen High Income Trust
II
Van Kampen Massachusetts
Value Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Municipal
Opportunity Trust
Van Kampen Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Ohio Quality
Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Pennsylvania
Value Municipal Income Trust
Van Kampen Select Sector
Municipal Trust
Van Kampen Senior Income
Trust
Van Kampen Trust for Insured
Municipals
Van Kampen Trust for
Investment Grade Municipals
Van Kampen Trust for
Investment Grade New Jersey Municipals
Van Kampen Trust for
Investment Grade New York Municipals
72
Exhibit A-1
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
she has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of each of the funds listed in Schedule A (each, a Fund); that she is
the Vice President of each Fund; and that all actions necessary to authorize
the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Name:
|
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
73
Exhibit A-2
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
she has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc. (the Company); that she
is Managing Director of the Company; and that all actions necessary to
authorize the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Name:
|
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
74
Exhibit A-3
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
she has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Morgan Stanley Investment Advisors Inc. (the Company); that she is Managing
Director of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the
undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Name:
|
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
75
Exhibit A-4
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
she has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Van Kampen Asset Management (the Company); that she is Managing
Director of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the
undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Name:
|
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
76
Exhibit A-5
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (the Company); that he
is a Managing Director of the Company; and that all actions necessary to
authorize the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been
taken. The undersigned further says that
he is familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the
facts therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Roger Gilbert
|
|
Name:
|
Roger Gilbert
|
77
Exhibit A-6
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of LMP Corporate Loan Fund Inc. (the Fund); that he is Secretary and
Chief Legal Officer of the Fund; and that all actions necessary to authorize
the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that he is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Robert Frenkel
|
|
Name:
|
Robert Frenkel
|
78
Exhibit A-7
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
she has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citigroup Alternative Investments LLC (the Company); that she is
General Counsel of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the
undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Millie Kim
|
|
Name:
|
Millie Kim
|
79
Exhibit A-8
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (the Company); that he is Co-General
Counsel of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the
undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that he is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Scott L. Flood
|
|
Name:
|
Scott L. Flood
|
80
Exhibit A-9
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that she
has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for an
order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citigroup Global Markets Limited (the Company); that she is an
Authorized Signatory of the Company; and that all actions necessary to
authorize the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that she is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of her knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Jeanne Campanelli
|
|
Name:
|
Jeanne Campanelli
|
81
Exhibit A-10
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citigroup Financial Products Inc. (the Company); that he is
Co-General Counsel of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize
the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that he is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Scott L. Flood
|
|
Name:
|
Scott L. Flood
|
82
Exhibit A-11
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citibank, N.A. (the Company); that he is a Vice President of the
Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the undersigned to execute
and file such instrument have been taken.
The undersigned further says that he is familiar with such instrument,
and the contents thereof, and that the facts therein set forth are true to the
best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Scott L. Flood
|
|
Name:
|
Scott L. Flood
|
83
Exhibit A-12
VERIFICATION
STATE OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
|
)
|
|
COUNTY OF NEW YORK
|
)
|
|
The undersigned states that
he has duly executed the attached second amended and restated application for
an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of the
Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citibank Canada (the Company); that he is the General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize
the undersigned to execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further says that he is
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of his knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Charles Alexander
|
|
Name:
|
Charles Alexander
|
84
Exhibit A-13
VERIFICATION
The undersigned state that
they have duly executed the attached second amended and restated application
for an order pursuant to Sections 17(a) and 17(e) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 (the Act), and pursuant to Section 17(d) of
the Act and Rule 17d-1 thereunder, dated August 7, 2009, for and on
behalf of Citibank International plc (the Company); that they are Attorneys
of the Company; and that all actions necessary to authorize the undersigned to
execute and file such instrument have been taken. The undersigned further say that they are
familiar with such instrument, and the contents thereof, and that the facts
therein set forth are true to the best of their knowledge, information and
belief.
|
By:
|
/s/ Jill Robson
|
|
Name:
|
Jill Robson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
By:
|
/s/ Simon Cumming
|
|
Name:
|
Simon Cumming
|
85
Exhibit B-1
OFFICERS CERTIFICATE
The undersigned, being duly
elected Vice President of each fund listed on Schedule A (each, a Fund), DOES
HEREBY CERTIFY that the attached resolutions were adopted by the Board of
Directors or Trustees of such Fund at a meeting duly held on April 17,
2009 with respect to the Van Kampen Funds and on April 23, 2009 with
respect to the Morgan Stanley Funds, and that such resolutions have not been
amended, modified or superseded in any way as of the date of this Certificate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
set my hand this 7
th
day of August, 2009.
|
By:
|
/s/ Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Name:
|
Stefanie V. Chang Yu
|
|
Title:
|
Vice President
|
86
The Funds Listed on Schedule A
RESOLVED, that this Board
hereby authorizes the funds listed on Schedule A (the Funds) to file an
application for an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission to permit
the Funds to engage in securities transactions with Citigroup Global Markets
Inc. or an affiliate (collectively, the Citi Trading Entity), including (i) the
purchase of securities from, or the sales of securities to, the Citi Trading
Entity in both primary market (including underwritten) and secondary market
transactions in which the Citi Trading Entity is acting as a principal and (ii) participation
in arrangements or transactions that the Funds presently participate in with
the Citi Trading Entity, subject to such terms and conditions as are agreed to
by the Securities and Exchange Commission; and further
RESOLVED, that all officers
of these Funds are, and each hereby is, authorized from time to time to do, or
cause to be done, all such other acts and things, and to execute and deliver
all such instruments and documents, as each officer shall deem necessary or
appropriate, to carry out the purpose and intent of the foregoing resolution.
87
Exhibit B-2
OFFICERS CERTIFICATE
The undersigned, being duly
elected Chief Legal Officer of LMP Corporate Loan Fund Inc. (the Fund), DOES
HEREBY CERTIFY that the attached resolutions were adopted by the Board of
Directors of the Fund at a meeting duly held on April 23, 2009, and that
such resolutions have not been amended, modified or superseded in any way as of
the date of this Certificate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
set my hand this 7
th
day of August, 2009.
|
By:
|
/s/ Robert Frenkel
|
|
Name:
|
Robert Frenkel
|
|
Title:
|
Secretary and Chief Legal
Officer
|
88
LMP Corporate Loan Fund Inc.
RESOLVED, that the Board of
Directors of LMP Corporate Loan Fund Inc. (the Fund) hereby authorize the
filing of an application for an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission to permit the Fund to engage in securities transactions (including
for this purpose, loans and interests therein) with Morgan Stanley &
Co. Incorporated or an affiliate (collectively, the MS Trading Entity),
including (i) the purchase of securities from, or the sales of securities
to, the MS Trading Entity in both primary market (including underwritten) and
secondary market transactions in which the MS Trading Entity is acting as a
principal and (ii) participation in arrangements or transactions that the
Fund presently participates in with the MS Trading Entity, subject to such
terms and conditions as are agreed to by the Securities and Exchange Commission
and which shall not be objectionable to counsel to the Fund; and further
RESOLVED, that all officers
of the Fund are, and each hereby is, authorized from time to time in
consultation with counsel to the Fund to do, or cause to be done, all such
other acts and things, and to execute and deliver all such instruments and
documents, as each officer shall deem necessary or appropriate, to carry out
the purpose and intent of the foregoing resolution.
89
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