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INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC. & INVESCO DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
COMPLIANCE AND BUSINESS POLICIES
INTRODUCTION
INVESCO's compliance and business policies adhere strictly to sound investment
principles and practices and to the highest of ethical standards. Our policies
are intended to ensure full conformity to the rules and regulations of our
regulatory organizations.
The responsibility for following the policies and procedures rests with you, the
employee. While INVESCO has a variety of procedures to oversee compliance, a
conscientious, professional, and ethical attitude on your part will ensure that
we fulfill the rules, regulations and business customs of our industry.
Every attempt has been made to cover all requirements, however, your good
judgment is required for the success of INVESCO's compliance program. You should
be familiar with the procedures and policies in this manual.
Occasionally, questions may arise which cannot be answered through this manual.
In this instance, questions should be directed to the Legal department.
Disciplinary sanctions such as suspension, with or without pay, or termination
of employment may be imposed against any person who fails to adhere to the
policies and procedures set forth in this manual.
On an annual basis, each INVESCO officer, director, and employee will be
required to provide a written certification that he or she has read and
understands the policies in the manual, recognizing that he or she is subject to
the policies. In addition, on an annual basis each INVESCO officer, director,
and employee will be required to certify in writing the disclosure of all
personal securities transactions and reportable accounts.
Questions regarding the contents of this manual should be directed to:
INVESCO Funds Group, Inc.
(303) 930-6300
Stephanie Barres, ext. 6475
Tison Cory, 6829
Tane Tyler, Assistant General Counsel, ext. 6243
Glen Payne, General Counsel, ext. 6200
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CODE OF ETHICS
As members of an organization serving the public, all employees are
guided in their actions by the highest ethical and professional
standards.
1. The general conduct of all employees must at all times reflect the
professional nature of the business we are in. INVESCO employees are
judicious, accurate, objective and reasonable in dealing with both clients
and other parties. The personal integrity of all employees must be beyond
the slightest shadow of a doubt.
2. All personnel of INVESCO must act within the spirit and the letter of all
federal, state, and local laws and regulations pertaining to the
securities business.
3. At all time, the interest of the client has precedence over any personal
interest.
4. All officers, directors and employees shall obtain written prior approval
before placing a securities transaction (as listed in the following
INVESCO policies).
5. INVESCO personnel will not accept compensation of any sort for services,
from any outside source without the permission of the CEO or their
representative.
6. When personal interests conflict with the interests of INVESCO and it's
clients, the employee will report the conflict to the Legal and Compliance
department for resolution.
7. Recommendations and actions of INVESCO are confidential and private
matters between INVESCO and its clients. It is INVESCO's policy to
prohibit , prior to general public release, the transmission, distribution
or communication of any information regarding securities transaction of
client accounts except to broker/dealers in the ordinary course of
business.
8. No information obtained during the course of employment regarding
particular securities (including reports and recommendations of INVESCO)
may be transmitted, distributed, or communicated to anyone who is not
affiliated with INVESCO. In addition, an employee in possession of this
information may not use this information for their own personal gain.
9. The policies and guidelines set forth in this Code of Ethics must be
strictly adhered to by all INVESCO employees. Severe disciplinary actions,
including dismissal, may be imposed for violations of this Code, including
the guidelines that follow.
GUIDELINES FOR AVOIDING PROHIBITED ACTS
INVESCO employees are prohibited from the following ("Prohibited Acts"):
1. Soliciting or recommending purchases, sales or reinvestment in
securities not in accordance with the client's investment
objectives and guidelines.
2. Attempting to use their influence to cause any client account to purchase,
sell or retain any securities for the purpose of seeking any form of
personal gain.
3. Warranting the value or price of any security or guaranteeing its future
performance.
4. Promising or representing that an issuer of securities will meet its
obligations or will fulfill its investment or business objectives in the
future.
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5. Agreeing to protect a client against loss by repurchasing a security at
some future time.
6. Owning or taking title to any funds or assets of a client.
7. Maintaining a joint brokerage or bank account with any client;
sharing any benefit, profit or loss resulting from securities transactions
with any client; or entering into any business transaction with any
client.
8. Borrowing money or securities from any client, regardless of the
relationship between the client and INVESCO representative.
9. Owning, operating, managing or otherwise engaging in or being employed by
any outside business activity on either a full-time or part-time basis
without the prior written approval of the President or CEO.
10. Violating or failing to abide by INVESCO's policy designed to detect and
prevent insider trading, and INVESCO policy regarding buying and selling
AMVESCAP shares or ADR's.
11. Entering orders in any account for which there is no client.
Any employee who becomes aware of any conduct which might violate the Prohibited
Acts listed above, any laws or regulations, or improper or unauthorized actions,
should report such conduct to their supervisor. Any questions about the conduct
required by INVESCO should be directed to the Legal department.
NEED-TO-KNOW POLICY
In conjunction with the policies regarding insider trading and material
information, INVESCO maintains a Need-to-Know Policy. This policy has been
adopted to prevent even the appearance of impropriety.
As INVESCO diversifies its products and services, we must be aware that
potential conflicts may arise. For instance, in the normal course of business
with a retirement plan, INVESCO may receive confidential information about the
plan's company (such as imminent lay-offs, poor earnings, etc.) that may be
material to a portfolio manager holding the stock and trying to determine to buy
or sell the securities.
In consideration of our professional responsibilities, and under law, INVESCO
must not use nonpublic information improperly to benefit INVESCO, a client, or
an individual. INVESCO personnel should always make every effort to avoid even
the appearance of misusing nonpublic information.
In light of this, INVESCO employees who have nonpublic information must not
disclose it to anyone who does not have a "need to know." This policy, also know
as a "Fire Wall," is designed to keep the information confidential. While there
may be times in which trading or other activities must be restricted, reliance
on a successful operating Fire Wall allows INVESCO to minimize such
restrictions. The Fire Wall permits INVESCO personnel in non-affected areas to
continue to engage in activities involving a particular company's securities.
Under the Fire Wall policy, those on the "informed" side of the wall have a
special duty to ensure that appropriate standards or confidentiality are
maintained. For those on the "uninformed" side of the wall, a corresponding duty
exists. All INVESCO personnel are prohibited from making any effort to obtain
nonpublic information that may be in the possession of other parts of the
organization. Again, INVESCO employees who have nonpublic information must not
disclose it to anyone who does not have a need to know.
When material information is communicated, whether to other personnel or to
those outside the organization, the second person is then "brought over the
wall" and are then prohibited from effecting transactions in the concerned
company securities until the information is made public. Therefore, extreme care
should be taken to ensure that they are not put in a position of nonpublic
information about other transactions that might
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prejudice or inhibit the appropriate performance of their other functions in
their normal area of operation.
Any questions as to whether a piece of information is material or should not be
communicated should be directed to the Legal department of INVESCO.
This policy is to be read in conjunction with the INVESCO Personal Securities
Trading Policies.
INVESCO PERSONAL SECURITIES TRADING POLICIES
(Substantially identical to the policies applicable to all AMVESCAP
entities Globally)
I. CORE PRINCIPLES (ALL EMPLOYEES)
A. Employees have a duty to serve the best interests of clients and not to
engage in conduct that is in conflict with such interests.
B. Employees are prohibited from mis-using "inside information".
C. Employees are permitted to acquire shares of AMVESCAP PLC
("AMVESCAP") through authorized share purchase schemes (including the
AMVESCAP International Sharesave Plan) and otherwise in a manner
consistent with applicable law.
D. Employees are encouraged to invest in mutual funds, unit trusts and other
collective investment vehicles sponsored by subsidiaries of AMVESCAP.
E. Subject to certain exceptions set forth in these Policies employees are
permitted to invest in other securities if they observe applicable laws
and regulations and both the letter and spirit of these Policies.
F. These Policies operate as a minimum "threshold" standard, and it is
recognized that the Company's operating divisions and individual
business units may wish to establish stricter standards. Less
strict standards than those set forth in these Policies are
generally discouraged and will be permitted only on an exceptional
"case by case" basis and only where such exceptions are permitted
by applicable law and are not inconsistent with these Core
Principles.
II. PROHIBITION AGAINST INSIDER TRADING (ALL EMPLOYEES)
A. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS- As used in this Section II, certain key
terms have the following meanings:
1. "Insider" - The concept of "Insider" is broad, and includes at a
minimum all directors, officers and employees of a company.
Directors, officers and employees of AMVESCAP and its subsidiary
companies are deemed to be Insiders of AMVESCAP. In addition, any
person may be a temporary Insider if he/she enters into a special,
confidential relationship with a company in the conduct of its
affairs and, as a result, has access to non-public information
developed for the company's purposes. Thus, any person associated
with AMVESCAP or any of its subsidiaries may become a temporary
Insider of a company which is advised by a subsidiary or for which
a subsidiary performs other services. Temporary Insiders of a
company may also include, for example, its attorneys, accountants,
consultants and other agents, or employees of its bank lenders and
major customers.
2. "Insider Trading" - While the law concerning "Insider Trading" is
not static, it generally includes: (1) trading by an Insider while
in possession of Material or Market/Price Sensitive Non-Public
Information; (2) trading by non-insiders while in possession of
Material or Market/Price Sensitive Non-Public Information either
improperly obtained by the non-insider or disclosed to the
non-insider by an Insider in violation of the Insider's duty to
keep it confidential; and (3) communicating
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Material or Market/Price Sensitive Non-Public Information to others.
3. "Material Information" (U.S. terminology) and "Market or Price
Sensitive Information" (U.K. terminology) - These terms generally
include (1) any information that a reasonable investor would likely
consider to be important to making an investment decision; and (2)
any information that is reasonably certain to have a substantial
effect on the price of a company's securities. Examples of Material
or Market/Price Sensitive Information include (but are not limited
to) changes in dividends or dividend policy, earnings estimates or
changes in previously released earnings estimates, developments
concerning significant merger or acquisition proposals,
developments in major litigation, and significant changes in
management.
4. "Non-Public Information" - Information is "non-public" until it has been
effectively communicated to the market and the market has had time to
"absorb" the information. For example, information found in a report filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or appearing in Dow Jones,
Reuters Economic Services, The Wall Street Journal or other publications
of general circulation would be considered public.
B. GENERAL PROHIBITION - All Directors, officers and employees (including
contract employees and part-time personnel) of AMVESCAP, its subsidiaries
and affiliated companies worldwide, are prohibited from engaging in
Insider Trading. This prohibition applies to both personal and client
accounts.
C. REPORTING OBLIGATION - Any Director, officer or employee (including any
contract or part-time employee) who possesses or believes that he/she may
possess Material or Market/Price Sensitive Non-Public Information about
any issuer of securities must report the matter immediately to his/her
legal/compliance department, which will review the matter and provide
further instructions as to the appropriate handling of the information.
III. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES GOVERNING PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
GENERALLY (COVERED PERSONS ONLY)
A. COVERED PERSONS - The policies and procedures set forth in this
Section III apply to Directors, officers and employees of AMVESCAP,
its subsidiaries and affiliated companies ("AMVESCAP Companies"),
including investment companies and investment trusts managed by an
AMVESCAP Company, who are deemed to be "Covered Persons" as defined
herein. The term "Covered Persons" includes all such Directors,
officers and employees except those who have been determined to be
"Exempt Persons" by the relevant management committee of an
operating division of AMVESCAP or its designee ("Relevant
Management Committee").
B. EXEMPT PERSONS - AN "EXEMPT PERSON" MUST MEET ALL OF THE FOLLOWING
CRITERIA:
1. Work in a position which is unrelated to any AMVESCAP Company's
investment management, investment policy or investment strategy
activities and who has no day-to-day access to information on
current investment strategy, portfolio holdings and portfolio
transactions;
2. Demonstrate lack of day-to-day access to such information by
factors such as physical separation (e.g. employment in a facility
physically separated from the locations where investment-related
activities occur) and lack of access to computer systems that
would provide access to portfolio information;
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3. Annually sign a statement to the effect that such person has no
actual access to such information, and that if he/she comes into
contact with such information he/she will promptly notify his/her
legal/compliance department who will determine, based on a review
of the employee's circumstances, whether he/she may continue to be
designated as an "Exempt Person".
Note: Each exempt person's status will be reviewed periodically by
the legal/compliance department. If any one of the above
requirements is not met, the employee will immediately be
considered to be a covered person.
C. GENERAL POLICY
1. Covered Persons may not engage in personal securities transactions that
create an actual or potential conflict of interest with client trading
activity. Thus Covered Persons have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure
that all client trading activity in a security is completed before
engaging in personal securities transactions in the same security.
2. For purposes of this Section III the term "personal securities
transaction" includes any transaction by a Covered Person for a
"Covered Account", defined as any account: (a) in which a Covered
Person has a direct or indirect financial interest; or (b) over
which such Covered Person has direct or indirect control over the
purchase or sale of securities. Such Covered Accounts may include,
but are not limited to, accounts of a spouse, minor child,
relative, friend, or personal business associate.
D. PRE-CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS
1. GENERAL REQUIREMENT
a. A Covered Person may not engage in a personal securities
transaction unless it has been pre-cleared by his/her
legal/compliance department following a determination that the
transaction does not give rise to an actual or potential conflict
of interest with client activity in the same security. This
determination shall not be made, and pre-clearance shall not be
given, if there has been a client account transaction in the same
security within seven (7) calendar days of the proposed personal
securities transaction (the "7-Day Rule").
b. Subject to oversight by the Relevant Management Committee, the
legal/compliance department has responsibility for setting the policy for
determining which client accounts will be matched against each Covered
Person's personal securities transactions.
c. The pre-clearance requirements and procedures set forth in this paragraph
D apply to personal securities transactions in any security that is not
the subject of an exception set forth in paragraph F below, and
specifically apply to transactions in shares of AMVESCAP and to
transactions in shares of closed-end investment companies and closed-end
investment trusts managed by an AMVESCAP company.
d. In the case of personal securities transactions involving the purchase or
sale of an option on an equity security, the legal/compliance department
will determine whether to pre-clear the transaction by matching the
personal securities transaction against client account activity in both
the option and the underlying security.
e. It shall be the responsibility of the legal/compliance department
following pre-clearance of a personal securities transaction, to
monitor client account activity in the same security for the
following seven (7) calendar days to determine whether the
appearance of a conflict is present, either in conjunction with a
particular transaction or as the result of a pattern of trading
activity and,
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if so, whether any additional action (such as disgorgement of profits)
is warranted.
2. PRE-CLEARANCE PROCEDURES - The legal/compliance department shall be
responsible for setting appropriate procedures (and documentation) to
carry out the pre-clearance requirements set forth in this paragraph D.
These procedures shall include the following:
a. The requirement that a Covered Person complete and submit to his/her
legal/compliance department a pre-clearance request form setting forth
details of each proposed personal securities transaction;
b. The review of each such pre-clearance request form by the legal/compliance
department, followed by its authorization or denial (as time-stamped on
the form) of the request, and a communication of this decision to the
affected Covered Person.
c. The execution by such Covered Person of the authorized personal securities
transaction within one trading day following the date of approval,
following which time period a new pre-clearance request form must be
submitted.
3. DE MINIMIS EXEMPTION
A pre-clearance request relating to a proposed personal securities transaction
involving 2,000 or fewer shares (or 20 or fewer contracts, in the case of
options) of an issuer that has at least US $1 billion (or non-U.S. currency
equivalent) in market capitalization shall not be subject to the 7-Day Rule or
other provisions of sub-paragraph D.1, provided (a) that any pre-clearance
approval given for such transaction shall be valid for ten (10) calendar days
only; and (b) no Covered Persons may make pre-clearance requests relating to
transactions involving 2,000 shares (or 20 contracts in the case of options) of
any particular security more than once every 30 calendar days.
E. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. INITIAL REPORTS BY COVERED PERSONS - Within a reasonable period of time
following the commencement of employment each Covered Person must provide
to his/her legal/compliance department a complete list of all of his or
her Covered Accounts.
2. REPORTS OF TRADE CONFIRMATIONS - Within (ten) 10 calendar days of
settlement of each personal securities transaction, the Covered
Person engaging in the transaction must file or cause to be filed
with the legal/compliance department a duplicate copy of the
broker-dealer confirmation for such transaction.
(Note: The duplicate confirmation must be generated by the
broker-dealer and mailed directly to the legal/compliance
department. Employee delivered photostat copies are not
acceptable.)
3. ANNUAL UPDATE AND CERTIFICATION - Each Covered Person must file
with the legal/compliance department an annual account statement
that lists, as of December 31 of each year, all Covered Accounts of
such Covered Person and all securities holdings of such Covered
Accounts. Annually, each Covered Person must execute and provide
his/her legal/compliance department with a certificate of
compliance with these Policies and any other personal trading
policies then in effect which apply to such Covered Person.
F. EXCEPTIONS TO PRE-CLEARANCE AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
1. Personal securities transactions in the following securities are
not subject to either the pre-clearance requirements or the reporting
requirements set forth in this Section III:
a. Open-end mutual funds and open-end unit trusts (whether or not
managed or distributed by an AMVESCAP Company);
b. Variable annuities, variable life products and other similar
unit-based insurance products issued by insurance companies and
insurance company separate
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accounts.
c. U.S. (Federal) Government Securities, and
d. Money market instruments (as defined by the relevant
legal/compliance department).
2. Independent Directors - Personal securities transactions of an
Independent Director of AMVESCAP or of any investment company or
investment trust managed by an AMVESCAP Company are not subject to
either the pre-clearance or reporting requirements set forth in
this Section III except with respect to personal securities
transactions in the shares of AMVESCAP or shares of any closed-end
investment company or investment trust served by such Independent
Director in a Director or Trustee capacity. For purposes of this
exception the term "Independent Director" includes (a) any Director
of AMVESCAP (i) who is neither an officer nor employee of AMVESCAP
or of any AMVESCAP Company, or (ii) who is not otherwise "connected
with" AMVESCAP or any AMVESCAP Company within the meaning of the
London Stock Exchange Yellow Book; and (b) any Director of an
investment company or investment trust managed by an AMVESCAP
Company (i) who (in the case of a US company or trust) is not an
"interested" person of such investment company or investment trust
within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, or (ii)
who (in the case of a non-US company or trust) serves such
investment company or investment trust in a "non-executive"
capacity.
3. Personal securities transactions in the following are not subject to the
pre-clearance requirements set forth in this Section III but are subject
to the reporting requirements:
a. Securities acquired through automatic dividend reinvestment plans;
b. Securities acquired through the receipt or exercise of rights or
warrants issued by a company on a pro rata basis to all holders of
a class of security;
c. A City Index (e.g., IG Index) (UK only);
d. Futures contracts;
e. Commodities contracts; and
f. Futures or Options on a stock market index, a foreign currency or
commodity.
4. Delegated Discretionary Accounts - Pre-clearance is not required for
transactions in a Covered Account as to which a Covered Person is not
exercising power over investment discretion, provided that:
a. The Covered Account is the subject of a written contract providing
for the delegation by the Covered Person of substantially all
investment discretion to another party;
b. The Covered Person has provided his/her legal/compliance
department with a copy of such written agreement;
c. The Covered Person certifies in writing that he/she has not
discussed, and will not discuss, potential investment decisions
with the party to whom investment discretion has been delegated;
and
d. The Covered Person complies with all reporting requirements
outlined in paragraph E above, and also provides or makes
provision for the delivery to his/her legal/compliance department
of monthly/quarterly statements of
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discretionary account holdings.
The foregoing exception from the pre-clearance requirement does not apply to
transactions by a delegated discretionary account in shares of AMVESCAP. All
employees are required to notify parties to whom they have delegated investment
discretion that such discretion may not be exercised to purchase shares of
AMVESCAP and that any sales of AMVESCAP shares by a Covered Account which is the
subject of delegated investment discretion are subject to the pre-clearance and
reporting requirements set forth in this Section III and the policies and
provisions set forth in Section IV below.
G. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN ACTIVITIES
In order to avoid even the appearance of conduct that might be deemed
contrary to a client's best interests, Covered Persons (other than
Independent Directors of AMVESCAP and of any investment company or
investment trust managed by an AMVESCAP Company) are subject to the
following additional restrictions and prohibitions relating to certain
investment activities and related conduct:
1. PROHIBITION AGAINST TRADING IN SECURITIES ON "RESTRICTED LISTS" -
It is recognized that there may be occasions when AMVESCAP, an AMVESCAP
Company, or a Covered Person who is a key executive of AMVESCAP or an
AMVESCAP Company, may have a special relationship with an issuer of
securities. In such occasions the Board of Directors of AMVESCAP or the
Relevant Management Committee may decide to place the securities of such
issuer on a "restricted list", to be maintained by the relevant
legal/compliance department. All employees are prohibited from engaging in
any personal securities transactions in a security on a "restricted list".
2. PROHIBITION AGAINST SHORT-TERM TRADING ACTIVITIES - Covered Persons
are prohibited from engaging in an "opposite transaction" in the
same security within 60 days of its purchase or sale. Generally,
only those securities requiring pre-clearance are subject to this
Short-Term Trading Prohibition. However, while options and futures
transactions are generally not subject to this Short-Term Trading
Prohibition, such transactions may not be used to circumvent the
prohibition.
3. PROHIBITION AGAINST SHORT SALES - Covered Persons are prohibited from
engaging in short sales of securities.
4. PROHIBITION AGAINST PURCHASES IN INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS - Covered
Persons are prohibited from purchasing securities in initial public
offerings except in those circumstances where different amounts of
such offerings are specified for different investor types (e.g.
private investors and institutional investors) and the purchase has
been pre-cleared by the relevant legal/compliance department on the
basis that it is not likely to create any actual or potential
conflict of interest.
5. RESTRICTIONS ON THE PURCHASE OF RESTRICTED SECURITIES ISSUED BY PUBLIC
COMPANIes - Generally, Covered Persons are discouraged from investing in
restricted securities of public companies. A Covered Person may purchase
such securities, however, if such purchase has been pre-cleared by his/her
legal/compliance department following its determination that the proposed
transaction does not present any actual or potential conflict of interest.
6. RESTRICTIONS ON PRIVATE PLACEMENTS (INCLUDING HEDGE FUNDS) - A
Covered Person may not purchase or sell any security obtained
through a private placement (including the purchase or sale of an
interest in a so-called "hedge fund") unless such transaction has
been pre-cleared by his/her legal/compliance department following
its determination that the proposed transaction does not present
any actual or potential conflict of interest. In addition, if a
Covered Person owning securities of a privately held company knows
that the company is proposing to engage in a public offering
involving securities of that company (whether or not such
securities are of the same class as the securities held by such
Covered Person), he/she must disclose this information to his/her
legal/compliance department which will determine whether further
action should be taken.
7. PARTICIPATION IN INVESTMENT CLUBS - A Covered Person is prohibited from
participating in an
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investment club unless such participation has been pre-cleared by
his/her legal /compliance department following its determination that
the following conditions have been satisfied:
a. the Covered Person's participation does not create any actual
or potential conflict of interest;
b. the Covered Person does not control investment decision-making
for the investment club; and
c. The Covered Person has made satisfactory arrangements to
ensure that duplicate trade confirmations of investment club
activity and quarterly statements of investment club holdings
are provided to his/her legal/compliance department by brokers
acting on behalf of the investment club.
Should the Covered Person contribute, but not necessarily control, investment
decision-making for the investment club, all transactions by the investment club
would be subject to pre-clearance. (Note: Exemption from trading pre-clearance
for Investment Club participation may be made by the legal/compliance
department. Such account activity will be periodically reviewed and if deemed
necessary, the pre-clearance exemption may be revoked at any time.)
IV. POLICIES GOVERNING TRANSACTIONS IN SHARES OF AMVESCAP PLC (ALL EMPLOYEES)
A. Personal securities transactions in shares of AMVESCAP PLC by Directors,
officers and employees of AMVESCAP and the AMVESCAP Companies are
governed by AMVESCAP's Share Dealing Code (the "Code") adopted in
accordance with requirements of the London Stock Exchange. The Code is
incorporated by reference and made a part of these Policies so that a
violation of the Code is also deemed a violation of these Policies.
Among other provisions the Code generally prohibits all trading in
AMVESCAP shares during certain defined "closed periods" which are
typically two calendar months before annual results and earnings
announcements and one calendar month before quarterly results and
earnings announcements.
B. The prohibitions against insider trading set forth above in Section II
of these Policies and the pre-clearance and reporting provisions set
forth above in Section III of these Policies apply to personal
securities transactions in shares of AMVESCAP, with the exception that
the purchase of shares through regular payroll deduction in connection
with operation of the AMVESCAP International Sharesave Plan is exempt
from the pre-clearance provisions of Section III.
C. The foregoing provisions apply to all Directors, officers and employees
of AMVESCAP, including both Covered Persons and Exempt Persons as
defined in Section III, and apply to all personal securities
transactions by or for the benefit of such persons, including
transactions in discretionary accounts maintained for such persons.
V. ADMINISTRATION OF POLICIES (ALL EMPLOYEES)
A. With the exception of Part IV above, administration of these Policies is
the responsibility of the various legal/compliance departments within
the AMVESCAP group, subject to general oversight by the Relevant
Management Committees.
B. Responsibility for the administration of these Policies as they relate
to transactions in AMVESCAP shares (Part IV above) rests jointly with
the AMVESCAP Company Secretary, responsible for interpretations of the
Code; its Group Compliance Officer, responsible for determinations made
in the event of possible violations of the Code or of these Policies;
and its various legal/compliance departments, responsible for
pre-clearance and reporting of transactions. In any event responsibility
for these Policies as they pertain to trading in AMVESCAP shares is
subject to general oversight by the AMVESCAP Board of Directors.
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C. Administrative responsibility for these Policies includes:
1. the authority to adopt such forms and procedures as may be
appropriate to implement these Policies;
2. the authority to recommend and to implement policies that are more
restrictive than those set forth in these Policies;
3. the authority, on a case by case basis, and to a limited extent, to
approve exceptions from any of the prohibitions, restrictions or
procedures set forth in Part III of these Policies; and
4. The authority to review violations of the Policies and to recommend
to the Relevant Management Committee (or to the AMVESCAP Board of
Directors in the case of violation of the Policies set forth in Part
IV), such penalties and sanctions as may be appropriate under the
circumstances.
D. Exceptions - Where exceptions are approved under subparagraph C (3)
above, a determination shall be made, in the case of each such
exception, that it is consistent with the Core Principles set forth
in Section I of these Policies and that it does not create an
actual or potential conflict of interest. The approval of the
exception and the circumstances surrounding such approval shall be
noted in writing and reported to the Relevant Management Committee
at the next available opportunity.
E. Penalties and Sanctions
1. Persons who are found to have violated the prohibitions against
Insider Trading set forth in Section II of these Policies may be
subject to severe penalties and sanctions including but not limited
to disgorgement of profits and suspension or termination of
employment. These penalties and sanctions shall be in addition to
any penalties that may be imposed by law, including (a) civil
injunctions; (b) revocation of licenses and registrations; (c)
substantial fines; and/or (d) imprisonment.
2. Persons who are found to have knowingly violated any of the other
provisions of these Policies, including the pre-clearance and
reporting requirements, the restrictions against certain defined
activities and the rules governing trading in shares of AMVESCAP,
shall be subject to a range of possible sanctions including, among
other actions: (a) required special education or training; (b)
letters of admonition or censure; (c) restrictions on further
personal securities transactions; (d) disgorgement of profits; and
(e) reassignment, demotion, suspension or termination of employment.
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INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC.
7800 EAST UNION AVENUE
DENVER, COLORADO 80237
TEL: 303-930-6300
WWW.INVESCOFUNDS.COM
A MEMBER OF THE AMVESCAP GROUP
