<ARTICLE>                                           BD
<LEGEND>
    THIS  SCHEDULE  CONTAINS  SUMMARY  FINANCIAL   INFORMATION  EXTRACTED  FROM
CONSOLIDATED   STATEMENT  OF  FINANCIAL   CONDITION  -  DECEMBER  31,  1997  AND
CONSOLIDATED  STATEMENT OF INCOME AS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1997 AND IS QUALIFIED IN
ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FORM 10K DECEMBER 31, 1997.
</LEGEND>
<NAME>    First Montauk Financial Corp.
<CIK>     0000083125                     
<MULTIPLIER>                       1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   Year
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-1997                         
<PERIOD-END>                                   DEC-31-1997
<CASH>                                         790
<RECEIVABLES>                                  2,954
<SECURITIES-RESALE>                            0
<SECURITIES-BORROWED>                          0
<INSTRUMENTS-OWNED>                            3,658
<PP&E>                                         1,358
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 11,972
<SHORT-TERM>                                   0
<PAYABLES>                                     3,332
<REPOS-SOLD>                                   0
<SECURITIES-LOANED>                            0
<INSTRUMENTS-SOLD>                             810
<LONG-TERM>                                    445
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                          0
<PREFERRED>                                    0
<COMMON>                                       4,334
<OTHER-SE>                                     2,559
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                   11,972
<TRADING-REVENUE>                              7,258
<INTEREST-DIVIDENDS>                           1,384
<COMMISSIONS>                                  27,018
<INVESTMENT-BANKING-REVENUES>                  1,433
<FEE-REVENUE>                                  0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             85
<COMPENSATION>                                 26,785
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                2,445
<INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY>                     2,445
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                0
<CHANGES>                                      0
<NET-INCOME>                                   1,477
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                  0.17
<EPS-DILUTED>                                  0.14