WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000874964
<NAME> THE LAZARD FUNDS, INC.

   <NUMBER> 3
   <NAME> LAZARD BOND PORTFOLIO

                                                  
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-2000             DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             JAN-01-2000             JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-2000             JUN-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       86,863,484              86,863,484
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      85,572,729              85,572,729
<RECEIVABLES>                               23,008,589              23,008,589
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     165                     165
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                    28,638,632              28,638,632
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    1,729,226               1,729,226
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                         30,367,858              30,367,858
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0                       0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    86,819,967              86,819,967
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        7,337,114               1,145,504
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        9,853,933               1,248,705
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0                       0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                         542,907                 542,907
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0                       0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                     6,772,680               6,772,680
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                   (1,290,755)             (1,290,755)
<NET-ASSETS>                                78,213,625              78,213,625
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0                       0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            3,279,813               3,279,813
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 383,511                 383,511
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      2,896,302               2,896,302
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   (2,026,425)             (2,026,425)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    1,022,775               1,022,775
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        1,892,652               1,892,652
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    2,562,295                 325,853
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      2,643,324                 121,871
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  5,405,405                 258,193
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            245,262                  33,121
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                    (24,948,453)            (24,948,453)
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<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                        551,061                 551,061
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                   4,746,255               4,746,255
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          231,044                 231,044
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                391,519                 391,519
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        82,047,910              10,877,721
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.29                    9.29
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.29                    0.28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.07)                  (0.07)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.29                    0.28
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00                    0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               9.22                    9.22
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.79                    1.10
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0                       0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0                       0