<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000869356
<NAME> PIONEER EQUITY-INCOME FUND

   <NUMBER> 002
   <NAME> PIONEER EQUITY-INCOME FUND CLASS B
<CURRENCY> US

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          OCT-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               APR-30-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                      1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        628493071
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       827776849
<RECEIVABLES>                                  4499948
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   57836
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                               295
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               832334928
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      3121293
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            3121293
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     596004596
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          9717595
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         11027865
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                      4667595
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       29257666
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     199283778
<NET-ASSETS>                                 829213635
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                             13869108
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               156514
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 6513994
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        7511628
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      31412085
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   (93223954)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       (54300241)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      1372594
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      19330433
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         924323
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    2903763
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             669170
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     (205581832)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        4154150
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     58527177
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          2725075
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                9887
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                6607516
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         285958438
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            29.78
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.17
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (1.59)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.13
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                         1.76
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              26.47
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.96