<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 7
   <NAME> WORLD EQUITY PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         21112486
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        26977311
<RECEIVABLES>                                   166297
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   86486
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                27230094
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                        269318
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       309992
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             579310
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      18880431
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          1603884
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1628910
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       192713
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        1869361
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       5708279
<NET-ASSETS>                                  26650784
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               188408
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                25018
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  148194
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                          65232
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       1725907
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       705002
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          2496141
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         155083
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     180109
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         2116624
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         127481
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       143454
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            86446
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 173679
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          24903882
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                           15.062
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.042
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          1.512
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                             16.616
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.20
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>