<ARTICLE> 6 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998 <INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 176,299,961 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 246,345,766 <RECEIVABLES> 4,465,756 <ASSETS-OTHER> 20,397 <OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 250,831,919 <PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0 <SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 98,604,918 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 98,604,918 <SENIOR-EQUITY> 74,580,325 <PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 77,646,676 <SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4,828,492 <SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 4,828,492 <ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0 <ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0 <OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0 <ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 0 <NET-ASSETS> 152,227,001 <DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,140,953 <INTEREST-INCOME> 768,694 <OTHER-INCOME> 0 <EXPENSES-NET> 2,800,229 <NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (890,582) <REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 4,494,379 <APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 4,152,452 <NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7,756,249 <EQUALIZATION> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0 <DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0 <NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 0 <SHARES-REINVESTED> 0 <NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 7,756,249 <ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0 <ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0 <OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0 <GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,524,709 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 664,678 <GROSS-EXPENSE> 2,800,229 <AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 148,348,876 <PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 29.92 <PER-SHARE-NII> (0.18) <PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.79 <PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0 <PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0 <RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0 <PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 31.53 <EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.89 <AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 16,352,210 <AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 3.39