<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 09/30/1999
000 C000000 0000823620
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 6.1
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5364
001 C000000 2134869200
002 A000000 333 SOUTH HOPE STREET
002 B000000 LOS ANGELES
002 C000000 CA
002 D010000 90071
002 D020000 1443
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000 1
007 C010100 1
007 C020100 AMERICAN HIGH-INCOME TRUST
007 C030100 N
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
020 A000001 COWEN & CO.
020 B000001 13-5616116
020 C000001 21
020 A000002 OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.
020 B000002 13-2798343
020 C000002 18
020 A000003 MONTGOMERY SECURITIES
020 B000003 94-1701676
020 C000003 8
020 A000004 JONES & ASSOCIATES, INC.
020 B000004 95-3583143
020 C000004 7
020 A000005 C.S. FIRST BOSTON CORP.
020 B000005 13-5659485
020 C000005 4
020 A000006 INSTINET CORP.
<PAGE> PAGE 2
020 B000006 13-3443395
020 C000006 2
020 A000007 LEHMAN BROTHERS
020 B000007 13-2518466
020 C000007 1
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 61
022 A000001 GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000001 13-1500700
022 C000001 4097
022 D000001 0
022 A000002 ASSOCIATES CORP. OF NORTH AMERICA
022 B000002 74-1494554
022 C000002 1793
022 D000002 0
022 A000003 C.I.T. FINANCIAL CORP.
022 B000003 13-2994534
022 C000003 615
022 D000003 0
022 A000004 GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
022 B000004 13-5108880
022 C000004 394
022 D000004 137
022 A000005 GENERAL MOTORS ACCEPTANCE CORP.
022 B000005 38-0572512
022 C000005 308
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 MORGAN STANLEY DEAN WITTER
022 B000006 13-2655998
022 C000006 179
022 D000006 91
022 A000007 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER AND SMITH INC.
022 B000007 13-5674085
022 C000007 205
022 D000007 60
022 A000008 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000008 13-2518466
022 C000008 219
022 D000008 34
022 A000009 SALOMON SMITH BARNEY
022 B000009 11-2418191
022 C000009 122
022 D000009 67
022 A000010 C.S. FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
022 B000010 13-5659485
022 C000010 69
022 D000010 82
023 C000000 8829
023 D000000 734
<PAGE> PAGE 3
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 N
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 N
026 G020000 N
026 H000000 N
027 000000 Y
077 A000000 N
078 000000 N
086 A010000 0
086 A020000 0
086 B010000 0
086 B020000 0
086 C010000 0
086 C020000 0
086 D010000 0
086 D020000 0
086 E010000 0
086 E020000 0
086 F010000 0
086 F020000 0
008 A000101 CAPITAL RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT COMPANY
008 B000101 A
008 C000101 801-8055
008 D010101 LOS ANGELES
008 D020101 CA
008 D030101 90071
008 D040101 1443
011 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
011 B000101 8-17168
011 C010101 LOS ANGELES
011 C020101 CA
011 C030101 90071
011 C040101 1443
012 A000101 AMERICAN FUNDS SERVICE COMPANY
012 B000101 84-00316
012 C010101 BREA
012 C020101 CA
012 C030101 92821
013 A000101 DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
013 B010101 LOS ANGELES
013 B020101 CA
013 B030101 90017
015 A000101 THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
015 B000101 C
015 C010101 NEW YORK
015 C020101 NY
015 C030101 10081
<PAGE> PAGE 4
015 E010101 X
015 A000102 THE CANADIAN DEPOSITORY FOR SECURITIES LTD.
015 B000102 S
015 C010102 TORONTO
015 D010102 CANADA
015 D020102 M5H 2C9
015 E040102 X
015 A000103 CEDEL, S.A.
015 B000103 S
015 C010103 DUCHESSE CHARLOTTE
015 D010103 LUXEMBOURG
015 D020103 L-1331
015 E040103 X
018 000100 Y
019 A000100 Y
019 B000100 42
019 C000100 CRMCFNDGRP
024 000100 N
025 A000101 DELETE
025 D000101 0
025 D000102 0
025 D000103 0
025 D000104 0
025 D000105 0
025 D000106 0
025 D000107 0
025 D000108 0
028 A010100 119393
028 A020100 14170
028 A030100 0
028 A040100 61498
028 B010100 89126
028 B020100 14158
028 B030100 0
028 B040100 66460
028 C010100 67905
028 C020100 15028
028 C030100 0
028 C040100 58822
028 D010100 76308
028 D020100 14832
028 D030100 0
028 D040100 51742
028 E010100 69155
028 E020100 14905
028 E030100 0
028 E040100 63676
028 F010100 53073
028 F020100 15052
028 F030100 0
028 F040100 56519
<PAGE> PAGE 5
028 G010100 474960
028 G020100 88145
028 G030100 0
028 G040100 358717
028 H000100 134241
029 000100 Y
030 A000100 15271
030 B000100 4.75
030 C000100 0.00
031 A000100 2990
031 B000100 0
032 000100 12281
033 000100 0
034 000100 Y
035 000100 50
036 A000100 Y
036 B000100 0
037 000100 N
038 000100 0
039 000100 N
040 000100 Y
041 000100 Y
042 A000100 0
042 B000100 0
042 C000100 0
042 D000100 100
042 E000100 0
042 F000100 0
042 G000100 0
042 H000100 0
043 000100 6614
044 000100 0
045 000100 Y
046 000100 N
047 000100 N
048 000100 0.000
048 A010100 0
048 A020100 0.000
048 B010100 0
048 B020100 0.000
048 C010100 0
048 C020100 0.000
048 D010100 0
048 D020100 0.000
048 E010100 0
048 E020100 0.000
048 F010100 0
048 F020100 0.000
048 G010100 0
048 G020100 0.000
048 H010100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
048 H020100 0.000
048 I010100 0
048 I020100 0.000
048 J010100 0
048 J020100 0.000
048 K010100 0
048 K020100 0.000
049 000100 N
050 000100 Y
051 000100 N
052 000100 N
053 A000100 N
054 A000100 Y
054 B000100 Y
054 C000100 Y
054 D000100 N
054 E000100 N
054 F000100 N
054 G000100 N
054 H000100 Y
054 I000100 N
054 J000100 Y
054 K000100 N
054 L000100 Y
054 M000100 Y
054 N000100 N
054 O000100 Y
055 A000100 N
055 B000100 N
056 000100 N
057 000100 N
058 A000100 N
059 000100 Y
060 A000100 Y
060 B000100 Y
061 000100 1000
062 A000100 Y
062 B000100 0.0
062 C000100 0.0
062 D000100 0.0
062 E000100 0.0
062 F000100 0.0
062 G000100 0.0
062 H000100 0.0
062 I000100 4.4
062 J000100 0.0
062 K000100 0.0
062 L000100 0.0
062 M000100 1.0
062 N000100 0.0
062 O000100 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 7
062 P000100 86.8
062 Q000100 1.8
062 R000100 4.1
063 A000100 0
063 B000100 6.1
064 A000100 N
064 B000100 N
066 A000100 N
067 000100 N
068 A000100 N
068 B000100 N
069 000100 N
070 A010100 Y
070 A020100 N
070 B010100 N
070 B020100 N
070 C010100 Y
070 C020100 N
070 D010100 N
070 D020100 N
070 E010100 N
070 E020100 N
070 F010100 N
070 F020100 N
070 G010100 N
070 G020100 N
070 H010100 N
070 H020100 N
070 I010100 N
070 I020100 N
070 J010100 Y
070 J020100 Y
070 K010100 Y
070 K020100 N
070 L010100 Y
070 L020100 Y
070 M010100 Y
070 M020100 Y
070 N010100 Y
070 N020100 N
070 O010100 N
070 O020100 N
070 P010100 Y
070 P020100 N
070 Q010100 N
070 Q020100 N
070 R010100 Y
070 R020100 N
071 A000100 1144912
071 B000100 754653
071 C000100 2532894
<PAGE> PAGE 8
071 D000100 30
072 A000100 12
072 B000100 263815
072 C000100 4347
072 D000100 0
072 E000100 0
072 F000100 12363
072 G000100 0
072 H000100 0
072 I000100 1803
072 J000100 71
072 K000100 358
072 L000100 133
072 M000100 29
072 N000100 290
072 O000100 40
072 P000100 0
072 Q000100 0
072 R000100 50
072 S000100 5
072 T000100 6614
072 U000100 0
072 V000100 0
072 W000100 50
072 X000100 21806
072 Y000100 0
072 Z000100 246356
072AA000100 0
072BB000100 23434
072CC010100 0
072CC020100 27296
072DD010100 244894
072DD020100 0
072EE000100 8119
073 A010100 1.2900
073 A020100 0.0000
073 B000100 0.0500
073 C000100 0.0000
074 A000100 1148
074 B000100 0
074 C000100 122100
074 D000100 2329180
074 E000100 159484
074 F000100 112687
074 G000100 0
074 H000100 0
074 I000100 0
074 J000100 6851
074 K000100 0
074 L000100 60628
074 M000100 0
<PAGE> PAGE 9
074 N000100 2792078
074 O000100 4777
074 P000100 1068
074 Q000100 0
074 R010100 0
074 R020100 0
074 R030100 0
074 R040100 8844
074 S000100 0
074 T000100 2777389
074 U010100 205379
074 U020100 0
074 V010100 13.52
074 V020100 0.00
074 W000100 0.0000
074 X000100 95313
074 Y000100 97787
075 A000100 0
075 B000100 2673828
076 000100 0.00
080 A000100 1ATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000100 CHUBB CUSTOM INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000100 65000
081 A000100 Y
081 B000100 62
082 A000100 N
082 B000100 0
083 A000100 N
083 B000100 0
084 A000100 N
084 B000100 0
085 A000100 Y
085 B000100 N
SIGNATURE JULIE F. WILLIAMS
TITLE SECRETARY
INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT
To the Board of Trustees of American High-Income Trust:
In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of
American High-Income Trust (the "Fund") for the year ended September
30, 1999 (on which we have issued our report dated October 29,
1999), we considered its internal control, including control
activities for safeguarding securities, in order to determine our
auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the
financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-
SAR, and not to provide assurance on the Fund's internal control.
The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and
maintaining internal control. In fulfilling this responsibility,
estimates and judgments by management are required to assess the
expected benefits and related costs of controls. Generally,
controls that are relevant to an audit pertain to the entity's
objective of preparing financial statements for external purposes
that are fairly presented in conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles. Those controls include the safeguarding of
assets against unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition.
Because of inherent limitations in any internal control,
misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected.
Also, projections of any evaluation of internal control to future
periods are subject to the risk that the internal control may become
inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of
compliance with policies or procedures may deteriorate.
Our consideration of the Fund's internal control would not
necessarily disclose all matters in the internal control that might
be material weaknesses under standards established by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants. A material weakness is a
condition in which the design or operation of one or more of the
internal control components does not reduce to a relatively low
level the risk that misstatements caused by error or fraud in
amounts that would be material in relation to the financial
statements being audited may occur and not be detected within a
timely period by employees in the normal course of performing their
assigned functions. However, we noted no matters involving the
Fund's internal control and its operation, including controls for
safeguarding securities, that we consider to be material weaknesses
as defined above as of September 30, 1999.
This report is intended solely for the information and use of
management, the Board of Trustees of American High-Income Trust, and
the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not intended to be and
should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties.
DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Los Angeles, California
October 29, 1999
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<MULTIPLIER> 1000
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1999
<PERIOD-START> OCT-1-1998
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 2,937,872
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 2,723,451
<RECEIVABLES> 67,479
<ASSETS-OTHER> 1,148
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,792,078
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 4,777
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 9,912
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 14,689
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,001,283
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 205,378,936
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 171,624,748
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 18,569
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (26,403)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (214,355)
<NET-ASSETS> 2,777,389
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 4,347
<INTEREST-INCOME> 263,815
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 21,806
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 246,356
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (23,484)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (27,295)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 195,576
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 244,894
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 8,119
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 75,509,296
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 54,497,988
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 12,742,880
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 417,496
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 14,347
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 10,079
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 12,363
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 21,806
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,673,828
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 13.75
<PER-SHARE-NII> 1.28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (0.17)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (1.29)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.05)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 13.52
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .008
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
</TABLE>
