<ARTICLE>                     5

<CIK>                         0001051829
<NAME>                        MERRILL LYNCH PREFERRED CAPITAL TRUST III
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000



                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-START>                                 DEC-26-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1999
<CASH>                                               0
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<PP&E>                                               0
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<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                    750,000
<COMMON>                                        23,196
<OTHER-SE>                                           0
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<SALES>                                              0
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<CGS>                                                0
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