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

 

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

   <NUMBER> 6
   <NAME> LAZARD EQUITY 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>                      298,940,803             298,940,803
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     324,695,142             324,695,142
<RECEIVABLES>                                2,823,492               2,823,492
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     600                     600
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             327,519,234             327,519,234
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     6,180,104               6,180,104
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                    3,579,862               3,579,862
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          9,759,966               9,759,966
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0                       0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   247,417,364             247,417,364
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       11,116,967               4,497,194
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       17,915,506               5,796,320
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    1,726,605               1,726,605
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0                       0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                     42,860,960              42,860,960
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0                       0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    25,754,339              25,754,339
<NET-ASSETS>                               317,759,268             317,759,268
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                            3,306,317               3,306,317
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              143,096                 143,096
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               1,814,787               1,814,787
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,634,626               1,634,626
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                    35,938,979              35,938,979
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                 (52,623,818)            (52,623,818)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                     (15,050,213)            (15,050,213)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      1,825,079                 701,291
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  8,623,618               2,000,417
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0                       0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                   (181,894,565)           (181,894,565)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         91,979                  91,979
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    6,921,981               6,921,981
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0                       0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0                       0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        1,468,365               1,468,365
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              1,814,787               1,814,787
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                       293,458,983             100,256,381
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            21.08                   21.05
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.09                    0.06
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.80)                  (0.80)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0                       0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0                       0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0                       0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              20.37                   20.31
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.86                    1.12
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0                       0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0                       0