MERRILL LYNCH GROWTH FUND FOR INVESTMENT & RETIREMENT
NSAR-B, 1997-12-24
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SIGNATURE   GERALD M. RICHARD                            
TITLE       TREASURER           
 


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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    366995191
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                               97445007
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        3700025380
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            25.03
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .22
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           7.39
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.20)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.81)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              30.63
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.83 
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<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000807907
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 003
   <NAME> CLASS C
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          OCT-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             NOV-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       6043408710
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      8612805164
<RECEIVABLES>                                 32867957
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 1996962
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              8647670083
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                      96798153
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                     24010939
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<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    5401572560
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         14042691
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          7520629
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                     21998884
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-ASSETS>                                 427376567
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                             77705992
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             94711657
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       77646122
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     533833873
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   1320593787
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       1932073782
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (2319545)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                    (14376468)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        8962055
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (3076879)
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<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        9982308
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    366995191
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<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                               97445007
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         289833382
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            24.89
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .22
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           7.34
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.21)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.81)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              30.43
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.84 
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000807907
<NAME> MERRILL LYNCH GROWTH FUND
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 004
   <NAME> CLASS D
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          OCT-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                             NOV-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       6043408710
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      8612805164
<RECEIVABLES>                                 32867957
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 1996962
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              8647670083
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                      96798153
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                     24010939
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          120809092
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    5401572560
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         49759022
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         34814502
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                     21998884
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      533893093
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    2569396454
<NET-ASSETS>                                1642665476
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                             77705992
<INTEREST-INCOME>                             94711657
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                              (94771527)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       77646122
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     533833873
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   1320593787
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       1932073782
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                   (15879973)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                    (65179339)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                       20665675
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (8490489)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            2769334
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      3433452222
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        9982308
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    366995191
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
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<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                               97445007
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        1243864246
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            26.79
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .46
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           7.95
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.38)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.81)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              33.01
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.06 
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>


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