<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000910068
<NAME> High Income Opportunity Fund Inc.
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> Year
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> Sep-30-2000
<PERIOD-END> Sep-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 701,599,191
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 639,706,065
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<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 2,476,601
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 10,572,831
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 872,954,026
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 69,227,252
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 72,230,352
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 1,795,010
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (161,369,525)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 547,821
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<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 8,654,627
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 72,487,936
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (60,064,452)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (17,998,485)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> (5,575,001)
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 70,585,238
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 3,003,100
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<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (102,585,341)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> (1,389,020)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (100,023,741)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.450
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<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (1.080)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.420
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.22
</TABLE>
