<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000035315
<NAME> Fidelity Fixed-Income Trust
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 21
<NAME> Fidelity Short-Term Bond Fund
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
<S>
<C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>
6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>
APR-30-2001
<PERIOD-END>
OCT-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>
1,614,889
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>
1,606,253
<RECEIVABLES>
55,698
<ASSETS-OTHER>
0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>
0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>
1,661,951
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>
42,258
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>
0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>
11,067
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>
53,325
<SENIOR-EQUITY>
0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>
1,872,851
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>
188,742
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>
158,964
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>
0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>
1,602
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>
(253,987)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>
0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>
(8,636)
<NET-ASSETS>
1,608,626
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>
0
<INTEREST-INCOME>
51,217
<OTHER-INCOME>
6
<EXPENSES-NET>
4,325
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>
46,898
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>
(3,314)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>
15,028
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>
58,612
<EQUALIZATION>
0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>
46,290
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>
0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>
0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>
76,806
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>
51,769
<SHARES-REINVESTED>
4,741
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>
265,099
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>
0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>
(250,673)
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2,210
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>
0
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3,136
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>
0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>
4,377
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>
1,474,071
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>
8.450
<PER-SHARE-NII>
.269
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>
.067
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>
.266
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>
0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>
0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>
8.520
<EXPENSE-RATIO>
59
</TABLE>
