[ARTICLE] 6
[CIK] 0000797480
[NAME] NATURAL RESOURCES FUND, INC. CLASS A
<TABLE>
<S>                             <C>
[PERIOD-TYPE]                   6-MOS
[FISCAL-YEAR-END]                          OCT-31-1997
[PERIOD-END]                               APR-30-1997
[INVESTMENTS-AT-COST]                      126,616,643
[INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE]                     121,036,783
[RECEIVABLES]                                3,384,371
[ASSETS-OTHER]                                  60,803
[OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS]                            83,397
[TOTAL-ASSETS]                             124,565,354
[PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES]                         6,636
[SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT]                              0
[OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES]                      275,227
[TOTAL-LIABILITIES]                            281,863
[SENIOR-EQUITY]                                      0
[PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON]                   135,413,396
[SHARES-COMMON-STOCK]                        2,226,098
[SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR]                        2,201,056
[ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT]                    (909,206)
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII]                               0
[ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS]                    (4,863,465)
[OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS]                             0
[ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC]                   (5,357,234)
[NET-ASSETS]                               124,283,491
[DIVIDEND-INCOME]                              631,941
[INTEREST-INCOME]                              227,143
[OTHER-INCOME]                                       0
[EXPENSES-NET]                               1,328,449
[NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME]                      (469,365)
[REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT]                     7,435,275
[APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT]                 (18,031,801)
[NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS]                     (11,065,891)
[EQUALIZATION]                                       0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME]                      783,335
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS]                             0
[DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER]                                0
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD]                      5,775,683
[NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED]                  5,750,641
[SHARES-REINVESTED]                                  0
[NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS]                     (7,808,022)
[ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR]                    (1,641,446)
[ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR]                 (10,929,028)
[OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR]                              0
[OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR]                           0
[GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES]                          513,763
[INTEREST-EXPENSE]                                   0
[GROSS-EXPENSE]                              1,328,449
[AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS]                        53,191,266
[PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN]                            22.95
[PER-SHARE-NII]                                 (1.77)
[PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC]                              0
[PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND]                             (.33)
[PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS]                            0
[RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL]                                 0
[PER-SHARE-NAV-END]                              20.85
[EXPENSE-RATIO]                                   1.56
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0
</TABLE>