Current through Register Vol. 28, No. 3, September 1, 2024
6.1
Investment Objectives. The primary investment objectives of the Liquidity
Accounts are to maintain the safety of State Funds while ensuring the liquidity
of such funds to be drawn down to the Cash Management Banks for the support of
the anticipated funding needs of the State. As variations in the State's
otherwise predictable pattern of annual collections and disbursements do occur
and can be material, Liquidity Managers must be prepared to meet unanticipated
liquidity demands of the State in addition to those anticipated by OST. After
the achievement of those goals, the State seeks to maximize the return on such
investments.
6.2 Maturity
Restrictions. The maximum maturity for any investment of State Funds in the
Liquidity Accounts shall be two years from the date of settlement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, securities identified in subsections 6.3.4,
6.3.9, 6.3.10, and 6.3.11 that are subject to periodic reset of coupon or
interest rate may have an average life not to exceed three years as measured
from the date of settlement.
6.3
Permissible Investments and Percentage of Account Limitations. State Funds held
in Liquidity Accounts can be invested solely in the types of securities set out
in this subsection 6.3. Each Liquidity Manager is further subject to limit the
aggregate value of State Funds invested in each type of security held in the
account under such manager's discretion to the "Percentage Limit" of such
security type identified in this subsection 6.3, measured as a percentage of
the total Liquidity Account value of State Funds under such manager's
discretion.
6.3.1 United States Treasury
Obligations
6.3.1.1 Definition: Bills, bonds,
and notes issued by the U.S. Treasury.
6.3.1.2 Percentage Limit: No
limit.
6.3.2 United
States Government Agency Obligations
6.3.2.1
Definition: Any obligation of, or obligation that is insured as to principal
and interest by, the U.S. or any agency or corporation thereof (excluding
bills, bonds and notes issued by the U.S. Treasury), and any obligation and
security of U.S.-sponsored enterprises, limited to the Export-Import Bank of
the United States, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Farm Credit Banks,
Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Federal Land
Banks, Government National Mortgage Association, and the Federal National
Mortgage Association.
6.3.2.2
Percentage Limit: 50% in total; 20% in any one issuer.
6.3.3 Certificates of Deposit and Time
Deposits
6.3.3.1 Definition: Certificates of
deposit and time deposits denominated in U.S. dollars and issued or endorsed by
either (i) a bank or a savings and loan association organized and supervised
under federal or any state laws and regulated by the Federal Reserve or a trust
company which is a member of the Federal Reserve system or (ii) a bank
organized and supervised under the laws of Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, the
Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, or
Norway. Any such banking institution must have assets of not less than $100
billion and be rated not lower than A1/P-1/F1 Short Term by at least two
NRSROs.
6.3.3.2 Percentage Limit:
50% in total (domestic & non-domestic combined); 25% in all non-domestic
banking institutions; 5% in any one issuer.
6.3.4 Corporate Debt Instruments
6.3.4.1 Definition: Commercial paper,
variable rate notes, and non-convertible bonds and debentures denominated in
U.S. dollars and issued by a U.S. corporation or a non-domestic corporation
subject to the laws of Japan, Canada, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany,
France, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, or Norway. Such securities
must be rated by at least two NRSROs and (i) in the case of commercial paper,
must be rated not lower than "A-2" by S&P, "P-2" by Moody's and "F2" by
Fitch and the senior long-term debt of the issuer must be rated not lower than
"A-" by S&P, "A3" by Moody's and "A-" by Fitch (excluding asset-backed
commercial paper that is rated A-1 or better) and (ii) in the case of notes,
bonds and debentures, must be rated not lower than "A-" by S&P, "A3" by
Moody's and "A-" by Fitch; provided that, any security that meets the foregoing
rating standards and is backed fully by an irrevocable, unconditional letter of
credit issued by a banking institution shall not be permissible hereunder
unless such banking institution meets the definition of subsection 6.3.3.1 (in
which case, any such securities will be deemed to be securities of both the
corporate issuer and the banking institution for purposes of calculating the
Percentage Limits set forth in subsections 6.3.4.2 and 6.3.3.2,
respectively).
6.3.4.2 Percentage
Limit: 50% in total; 25% in all non-domestic corporations; 25% in any one
industry; 5% in any one issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, absent written
permission from OST and prior Board approval, private placement securities
otherwise authorized under subsections 6.3.4.1 and 11.1.7 may not exceed 25% of
any Liquidity Account.
6.3.5 Repurchase Agreements
6.3.5.1 Definition: Securities permissible
pursuant to subsections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2 acquired from a primary dealer
designated by the NY Federal Reserve Bank, or a domestic bank which meets the
definition set out in subsection 6.3.3.1, subject to a written repurchase
agreement from such dealer or bank; provided that, (i) in the case of
securities held in book-entry form in the Federal Reserve System, all
deliveries of such securities must be made through the Federal Reserve
book-entry system to an account designated by the State's custodian for such
purpose and (ii) in the case of securities held in certificated form, all
deliveries of such securities must be made to such address as designated by the
State's custodian.
6.3.5.2
Percentage Limit: 50% in total; provided that any securities purchased subject
to repurchase agreements shall be subject to the respective Percentage Limit
for such security type as set forth in this subsection 6.3 and valued for such
purposes at the lesser of fair market value and 102 percent of the maturity
value of the securities pursuant to the repurchase agreement and
marked-to-the-market daily as requested by the investment
manager.
6.3.6 Money
Market Funds
6.3.6.1 Definition: Open-end
money market mutual funds that are invested solely in government securities (as
defined in subsections 6.3.1 and 6.3.2) and which are rated in the highest
rating category by at least one NRSRO.
6.3.6.2 Percentage Limit: No
limit.
6.3.7 Canadian
Treasury Bills
6.3.7.1 Definition: Marketable
securities issued by the government of Canada; provided that such securities
are U.S. dollar denominated.
6.3.7.2 Percentage Limit: 25% in
total.
6.3.8 Canadian
Agency Securities
6.3.8.1 Definition: Any
obligation of any Canadian government-sponsored agency that is insured as to
principal and interest by the Canadian Government; provided that the obligation
is U.S. dollar denominated commercial paper having a maximum maturity of 270
days from the date of settlement.
6.3.8.2 Percentage Limit: 25% in total; 10%
in any one agency.
6.3.9
Mortgage-Backed Securities
6.3.9.1
Definition: Government National Mortgage Association, Federal National Mortgage
Association or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation mortgage-backed
securities issued in the form of pass-throughs; provided that, such securities
have (i) been issued and guaranteed by the US Government or Government Agency
and (ii) an average life not to exceed two years from the date of settlement
(unless such securities are subject to periodic reset of coupon or interest
rate, in which case the average life may not exceed three years from the date
of settlement).
6.3.9.2 Percentage
Limit: 10% in total, including securities defined in subsection
6.3.10.1.
6.3.10
Asset-Backed Securities
6.3.10.1 Definition:
Securities collateralized by pools of auto loan receivables, credit card
receivables, and equipment loans; provided that such securities have (i) the
highest credit rating from at least two NRSROs and (ii) an average life not to
exceed two years from the date of settlement (unless such securities are
subject to periodic reset of coupon or interest rate, in which case the average
life may not exceed three years from the date of settlement).
6.3.10.2 Percentage Limit: 10% in total,
including securities defined in subsection 6.3.9.1.
6.3.11 Supranational Organizations or
International Agencies
6.3.11.1 Definition:
Any obligation issued by a supranational organization or international agency
denominated in U.S. dollars under U.S. securities law for sale in the United
States as well as globally; provided that such obligation is rated by at least
two NRSROs and must not be rated lower than "A-" by S&P, "A3" by Moody's
and "A-" by Fitch. Supranational organizations include, but are not limited to,
the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Inter-American Development Bank,
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Finance
Corporation, and the Agency for International Development.
6.3.11.2 Percentage Limit: 25% in total, 10%
in any one agency.