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

 

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

   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> LAZARD STRATEGIC YIELD 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>                      322,813,454             322,813,454
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     306,925,155             306,925,155
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<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0                       0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   350,881,533             350,881,533
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       33,456,355               1,593,830
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       34,670,734               1,816,497
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    6,097,884               6,097,884
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0                       0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0                       0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                    37,548,219              37,548,219
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                  (16,128,097)            (16,128,097)
<NET-ASSETS>                               303,303,101             303,303,101
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              440,886                 440,886
<INTEREST-INCOME>                           11,866,837              11,866,837
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               1,490,776               1,490,776
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                     10,816,947              10,816,947
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (129,239)               (129,239)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  (6,301,383)             (6,301,383)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        4,386,325               4,386,325
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0                       0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      6,330,446                 134,338
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  8,591,540                 404,052
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<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                    (18,848,190)            (18,848,190)
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<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        1,203,877               1,203,877
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              1,490,776               1,490,776
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       307,371,051              15,426,774
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             8.83                    8.83
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.29                    0.28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.18)                  (0.18)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.29                    0.28
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00                    0.00
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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.91                    1.31
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0                       0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0                       0