<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 2
   <NAME> COMMON STOCK PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1995
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         36043844
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        43508520
<RECEIVABLES>                                   119536
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     981
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                43629037
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                        599640
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       110673
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             710313
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      35214338
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          1658267
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1536484
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                         2498
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                         237212
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       7464676
<NET-ASSETS>                                  42918724
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               268164
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               172022
<OTHER-INCOME>                                   (873)
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  436815
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                           2498
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       4419480
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      7157127
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         11579105
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       267715
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                       2264091
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         363229
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (338854)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              98408
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        12103579
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         134690
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                   (1924231)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           262290
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 443138
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          37465175
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                           20.056
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.007
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          7.419
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                           (0.173)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                      (1.443)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                             25.866
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.17
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>