WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam New Opportunities Fund


<NUMBER> 5
<NAME> CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   ANNUAL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 JUN-30-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                      JUN-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                          19,513,680,208
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                         37,172,778,924
<RECEIVABLES>                                     120,231,448
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                        175,497
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                        0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 37,293,185,869
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                          121,170,068
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                         115,481,461
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                               236,651,529
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                             0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                       16,582,775,138
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                             218,809,800
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                             180,134,512
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                                   0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                      0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                         2,817,184,039
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                                    0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       17,656,575,163
<NET-ASSETS>                                   37,056,534,340
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                  39,370,776
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                  22,503,843
<OTHER-INCOME>                                              0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                    314,045,279
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         (252,170,660)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                        3,180,295,678
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       9,974,138,897
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          12,902,263,915
<EQUALIZATION>                                              0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                                   0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (1,314,506,964)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                       0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                            72,591,101
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      (49,365,989)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                15,450,176
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         15,333,213,461
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                                     0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       2,317,965,228
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                     0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                                  0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                             136,725,887
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                          0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                   318,006,046
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           16,547,958,226
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                   65.61
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                         (.54)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                                 38.84
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                        0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                              (7.30)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                        0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                     96.61
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                           .86
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                                      0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                        0