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

 

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

   <NUMBER> 11
   <NAME> LAZARD HIGH 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>                      108,246,079             108,246,079
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                     101,068,310             101,068,310
<RECEIVABLES>                                3,212,604               3,212,604
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  12,609                  12,609
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             104,293,253             104,293,253
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     3,955,673               3,955,673
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0                       0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      203,620                 203,620
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          4,159,293               4,159,293
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0                       0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                   118,359,994             118,359,994
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       10,311,562               2,202,694
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        9,535,605                 148,700
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                          267                     267
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0                       0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0                       0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                    11,048,262              11,048,262
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                   (7,177,769)             (7,177,769)
<NET-ASSETS>                               100,134,230             100,134,230
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              345,584                 345,584
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            5,231,400               5,231,400
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 360,880                 360,880
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      5,216,104               5,216,104
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   (3,318,445)             (3,318,445)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  (5,188,139)             (5,188,139)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                      (3,290,480)             (3,290,480)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    4,495,853                 720,251
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        833,990               2,036,932
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    588,718                  41,426
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            530,685                  58,488
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      15,164,460              15,164,460
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                            267                     267
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0                       0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0                       0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                   7,729,817               7,729,817
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          341,746                 341,746
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0                       0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                482,439                 482,439
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        78,805,033              12,827,867
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             8.77                    8.78
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.48                    0.47
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.77)                  (0.78)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                              0.48                    0.47
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                         0.00                    0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                              0.00                    0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                               8.00                    8.00
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.75                    1.05
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0                       0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0                       0