MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND INC/NY
NSAR-A, 1996-05-24
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 03/31/96
000 C000000 0000276463
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-2857
001 C000000 6092827165
002 A000000 P.O. BOX 9066
002 B000000 PRINCETON
002 C000000 NJ
002 D010000 08543
002 D020000 9066
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  3
007 C010100  1
007 C020100 HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO
007 C030100 N
007 C010200  2
007 C020200 INVESTMENT GRADE PORTFOLIO
007 C030200 N
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 INTERMEDIATE TERM PORTFOLIO
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C010500  5
007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 FUND ASSET MANAGEMENT, L.P.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-12485
008 D01AA01 PRINCETON
008 D02AA01 NJ
008 D03AA01 08543
008 D04AA01 9011
011 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH FUNDS DISTRIBUTOR, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-14663
011 C01AA01 PRINCETON
011 C02AA01 NJ
011 C03AA01 08543
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
011 C04AA01 9011
012 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH FINANCIAL DATA SERVICES, INC.
012 B00AA01 84-01339
012 C01AA01 JACKSONVILLE
012 C02AA01 FL
012 C03AA01 32246
012 C04AA01 6484
013 A00AA01 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B01AA01 PRINCETON
013 B02AA01 NJ
013 B03AA01 08540
014 A00AA01 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
014 B00AA01 8-7221
015 A00AA01 STATE STREET BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02101
015 E01AA01 X
015 A00AA02 ANZ BANKING GROUP LTD.
015 B00AA02 S
015 C01AA02 NEW ZEALAND
015 D01AA02 NEW ZEALAND
015 D02AA02 3000
015 E04AA02 X
015 A00AA03 WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION
015 B00AA03 S
015 C01AA03 AUSTRALIA
015 D01AA03 AUSTRALIA
015 E04AA03 X
015 A00AA04 AUSTRACLEAR LIMITED
015 B00AA04 S
015 C01AA04 AUSTRALIA
015 D01AA04 AUSTRALIA
015 E04AA04 X
015 A00AA05 CEDEL, S.A.
015 B00AA05 S
015 C01AA05 LUXEMBOURG
015 D01AA05 LUXEMBOURG
015 E04AA05 X
015 A00AA06 THE BANK OF NEW YORK
015 B00AA06 S
015 C01AA06 NEW YORK
015 C02AA06 NY
015 C03AA06 10015
015 E01AA06 X
015 A00AA07 BANKERS TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA07 S
015 C01AA07 NEW YORK
015 C02AA07 NY
015 C03AA07 10006
<PAGE>      PAGE  3
015 E01AA07 X
015 A00AA08 CHEMICAL BANK
015 B00AA08 S
015 C01AA08 NEW YORK
015 C02AA08 NY
015 C03AA08 10017
015 E01AA08 X
015 A00AA09 CUSTODIAL TRUST CO.
015 B00AA09 S
015 C01AA09 NEW YORK
015 C02AA09 NY
015 C03AA09 10167
015 E01AA09 X
015 A00AA10 MORGAN GUARANTEE TRUST CO.
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015 C01AA10 NEW YORK
015 C02AA10 NY
015 C03AA10 10260
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018  00AA00 Y
019 A00AA00 Y
019 B00AA00  180
019 C00AA00 MERRILLLYN
020 A000001 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INC.
020 B000001 13-5674085
020 C000001     27
020 A000002 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
020 B000002 13-2741729
020 C000002      3
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020 C000007      0
020 C000008      0
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020 C000010      0
021  000000       30
022 A000001 UBS SECURITIES INC.
022 B000001 13-2932996
022 C000001   8576116
022 D000001    125232
022 A000002 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
022 C000002   5950641
022 D000002     21975
022 A000003 HSBC SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000003 13-2650272
022 C000003   3188577
022 D000003       488
022 A000004 PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED
022 B000004 13-2638166
<PAGE>      PAGE  4
022 C000004   2350924
022 D000004         0
022 A000005 CS FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
022 B000005 12-5659485
022 C000005   1179954
022 D000005     58770
022 A000006 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
022 B000006 13-2518466
022 C000006    882102
022 D000006     76594
022 A000007 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000007 13-2741729
022 C000007    559828
022 D000007    356283
022 A000008 BA SECURITIES, INC.
022 B000008 95-4035346
022 C000008    844990
022 D000008      4040
022 A000009 MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
022 B000009 13-2655998
022 C000009    422823
022 D000009    191718
022 A000010 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000010 13-5108880
022 C000010    515005
022 D000010     96652
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<PAGE>      PAGE  5
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
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<PAGE>      PAGE  8
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<PAGE>      PAGE  9
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076  000100     0.00
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025 A000201 MORGAN STANLEY GROUP INC.
025 C000201 D
025 D000201   12375
025 A000202 PAINEWEBBER GROUP INC.
025 C000202 D
025 D000202   10826
025 A000203 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE INC.
025 C000203 D
025 D000203    6125
025 A000204 LEHMAN BROTHERS INC.
025 B000204 13-2518466
025 C000204 D
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<PAGE>      PAGE  10
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034  000200 Y
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039  000200 N
040  000200 Y
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042 C000200 100
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<PAGE>      PAGE  11
042 F000200   0
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<PAGE>      PAGE  12
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070 A010200 Y
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070 D010200 N
070 D020200 N
070 E010200 Y
070 E020200 N
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
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070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 Y
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070 L010200 Y
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<PAGE>      PAGE  13
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<PAGE>      PAGE  14
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<PAGE>      PAGE  15
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<PAGE>      PAGE  16
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<PAGE>      PAGE  17
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<PAGE>      PAGE  18
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074 U020300    20045
074 V010300     0.00
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074 W000300   0.0000
074 X000300    47239
074 Y000300        0
075 A000300        0
075 B000300   494418
076  000300     0.00
SIGNATURE   GERALD M. RICHARD                            
TITLE       TREASURER           
 


<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NUMBER> 011
   <NAME> HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 012
   <NAME> HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NAME> HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NUMBER> 014
   <NAME> HIGH INCOME PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NAME> INVESTMENT GRADE PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NAME> INVESTMENT GRADE PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

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<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NAME> INVESTMENT GRADE PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
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   <NAME> INVESTMENT GRADE PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 031
   <NAME> INTERMEDIATE TERM PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 032
   <NAME> INTERMEDIATE TERM PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 033
   <NAME> INTERMEDIATE TERM PORTFOLIO
       
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</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000276463
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH CORPORATE BOND FUND, INC.
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 034
   <NAME> INTERMEDIATE TERM PORTFOLIO
       
<S>                             <C>
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</TABLE>


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