EX 99.CODE ETH
I. Covered Officers/Purpose of the Code
This code of ethics (the “Code”) for Citigroup Asset Management’s (“CAM’s”) U. S. registered proprietary investment companies (collectively, “Funds” and each a, “Company”) applies to each Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Controller (the “Covered Officers”) for the purpose of promoting:
Each Covered Officer should adhere to a high standard of business ethics and should be sensitive to situations that may give rise to actual as well as apparent conflicts of interest.
II. Administration of Code
The Regional Director of CAM Compliance, North America (“Compliance Officer”) is responsible for administration of this Code, including granting pre-approvals (see Section III below) and waivers (as described in Section VI below), applying this Code in specific situations in which questions are presented under it and interpreting this Code in any particular situation.
III. Covered Officers Should Ethically Handle Actual and Apparent Conflicts of Interest
Overview. A “conflict of interest” occurs when a Covered Officer’s private interest interferes with the interests of, or his service to, the Company. For example, a conflict of interest would arise if a Covered Officer, or a member of his family, receives improper personal benefits as a result of his position with the Company.
Certain conflicts of interest arise out of the relationships between Covered Officers and the Company and already are subject to conflict of interest provisions in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (“Investment Company Act”) and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (“Investment Advisers Act”). For example, Covered Officers may not individually engage in certain transactions (such as the purchase or sale of securities or other property) with the Company because of their status as “affiliated persons” of the Company. The compliance programs and procedures of the Company and its investment adviser are designed to prevent, or identify and correct, violations of these provisions. This Code does not, and is not intended to, repeat or replace these programs and procedures, and such conflicts fall outside of the parameters of this Code (see Section VII below).
Although typically not presenting an opportunity for improper personal benefit, conflicts arise from, or as a result of, the contractual relationship between a Company and the investment adviser of which the Covered Officers are also officers or employees. As a result, this Code recognizes that the Covered Officers will, in the normal course of their duties (whether formally for a Company or for the adviser, or for both), be involved in establishing policies and implementing decisions that will have different effects on the adviser and a Company. The participation of the Covered Officers in such activities is inherent in the contractual relationship between the Company and the adviser and is consistent with the performance by the Covered Officers of their duties as officers of a Company. Thus, if performed in conformity with the provisions of the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act, such activities will be deemed to have been handled eth ically. In addition, it is recognized by the Funds’ Boards of Directors\Trustees (“Boards”) that the Covered Officers may also be officers or employees of one or more other investment companies covered by this or other codes.
Other conflicts of interest are covered by the Code, even if such conflicts of interest are not subject to provisions in the Investment Company Act and the Investment Advisers Act. The following list provides examples of conflicts of interest under the Code, but Covered Officers should keep in mind that these examples are not exhaustive. The overarching principle is that the personal interest of a Covered Officer should not be placed improperly before the interest of the Company.
* * * *
(2) any ownership interest in, or any consulting or employment relationship with, any of the Company’s service providers, other than its investment adviser,
(3) a direct or indirect financial interest in commissions, transaction charges or spreads paid by the Company for effecting portfolio transactions or for selling or redeeming shares other than an interest arising from the Covered Officer’s employment, such as compensation or equity ownership; and
(4) the receipt of any gifts or the conveyance of any value (including entertainment ) from any company with which the Company has current or prospective business dealings, except:
(a) any non-cash gifts of nominal value (nominal value is less than $100); and
(b) customary and reasonable meals and entertainment at which the giver is present, such as the occasional business meal or sporting event.
IV. Disclosure and Compliance
Each Covered Officer:
| 1 | Any activity or relationship that would present a conflict for a Covered Officer would also present a conflict for the Covered Officer if a member of a Covered Officer’s family (spouse, minor children and any account over which a Covered Officer is deemed to have beneficial interest) engages in such an activity or has such a relationship. |
V. Reporting and Accountability
In rendering decisions and interpretations and in conducting investigations of potential violations under the Code, the Compliance Officer may, at his discretion, consult with such persons as he determines to be appropriate, including, but not limited to, a senior legal officer of the Company or its investment adviser or its affiliates, independent auditors or other consultants, subject to any requirement to seek pre-approval from the Company’s audit committee for the retention of independent auditors to perform permissible non-audit services. The Funds will follow these procedures in investigating and enforcing the Code:
The Compliance Officer shall submit an annual report to the Board describing any waivers granted.
VI. Waivers2
A Covered Officer may request a waiver of any of the provisions of the Code by submitting a written request for such waiver to the Compliance Officer, setting forth the basis of such request and explaining how the waiver would be consistent with the standards of conduct described herein. The Compliance Officer shall review such request and make a determination thereon in writing, which shall be binding.
In determining whether to waive any provisions of this Code, the Compliance Officer shall consider whether the proposed waiver is consistent with honest and ethical conduct and other purposes of this Code.
VII. Other Policies and Procedures
This Code shall be the sole code of ethics adopted by the Funds for purposes of Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and forms applicable to registered investment companies thereunder. Insofar as other policies or procedures of the Funds, the Funds’ investment advisers, principal underwriters, or other service providers govern or purport to govern the behavior or activities of the Covered Officers who are subject to this Code, they are superseded by this Code to the extent that they overlap or conflict with the provisions of this Code. The codes of ethics of the funds and the investment advisers and principal underwriters under Rule 17j-1 of the Investment Company Act and the Citigroup Code of Conduct and Citigroup Statement of Business Practices as well as other policies of the Fund’s investment advisers or their affiliates are separate requirements applying to the Covered Officers and others, and are not part of this Code.
| 2 | For purposes of this Code, Item 2 of Form N-CSR defines “waiver” as “the approval by a Company of a material departure from a provision of the Code” and includes an “implicit waiver,” which means a Company’s failure to take action within a reasonable period of time regarding a material departure from a provision of the Code that has been made known to an executive officer of the Company. |
VIII. Amendments
Any amendments to this Code, other than amendments to Exhibits A, B and C must be approved or ratified by a majority vote of the Board, including a majority of Non-interested Directors.
IX. Confidentiality
All reports and records prepared or maintained pursuant to this Code will be considered confidential and shall be maintained and protected accordingly. Except as otherwise required by law or this Code, such matters shall not be disclosed to anyone other than the appropriate Board and Company and their respective counsel, counsel to the non-Interested Directors or independent auditors or other consultants referred to in Section V above.
X. Internal Use
The Code is intended solely for the internal use by the Funds and does not constitute an admission, by or on behalf of any Company, as to any fact, circumstance, or legal conclusion.