<ARTICLE>                     5
<CIK>                         0001051829
<NAME>                        MERRILL LYNCH PREFERRED CAPITAL TRUST III
<MULTIPLIER>                  1,000

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-29-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-2000
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<CGS>                                                0
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