<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000808490
<NAME> VARIABLE INVESTORS SERIES TRUST
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 4
   <NAME> HIGH INCOME BOND PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         14123466
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        15031387
<RECEIVABLES>                                   362680
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                    2218
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                15396285
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      1210002
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            1210002
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      13298308
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          1456951
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          1399203
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       455469
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                      (475415)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                        907921
<NET-ASSETS>                                  14186283
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                10826
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               571112
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                   82005
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         499933
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      (122886)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       480747
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           857794
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         556313
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     498565
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         1351772
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                        (44464)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (352529)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            47837
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 110791
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          13780902
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            9.172
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.344
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          0.221
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              9.737
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.20
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        

</TABLE>