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

 

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

   <NUMBER> 5
   <NAME> LAZARD SMALL CAP 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>                      886,199,895             886,199,895
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     883,201,065             883,201,065
<RECEIVABLES>                               22,832,329              22,832,329
<ASSETS-OTHER>                              10,429,824              10,429,824
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             916,463,218             916,463,218
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     9,137,131               9,137,131
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    2,470,053               2,470,053
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                         11,607,184              11,607,184
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0                       0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   865,439,720             865,439,720
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       48,972,005               3,506,683
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       54,749,412               5,233,657
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    9,114,122               9,114,122
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0                       0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                     33,301,022              33,301,022
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0                       0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                   (2,998,830)             (2,998,830)
<NET-ASSETS>                               904,856,034             904,856,034
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                            5,446,819               5,446,819
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              795,911                 795,911
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               3,951,758               3,951,758
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      2,290,972               2,290,972
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   (6,294,153)             (6,294,153)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   40,226,255              40,226,255
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       36,223,074              36,223,074
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     16,624,375               3,305,529
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                 22,401,782               4,785,503
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0                       0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                    (88,501,825)            (88,501,825)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                      6,823,150               6,823,150
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                   39,595,175              39,595,175
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0                       0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0                       0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        3,484,087               3,484,087
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              3,951,758               3,951,758
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       865,423,753              68,770,956
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            16.57                   16.51
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.04                    0.02
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           0.64                    0.64
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.00                    0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                         0.00                    0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00                    0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              17.25                   17.17
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.83                    1.11
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0                       0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0                       0