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

 

<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam International Growth Fund


   <NUMBER>  5
   <NAME> CLASS B

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                  ANNUAL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          JUN-30-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    9,993,214,517
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                  12,483,128,512
<RECEIVABLES>                              175,222,121
<ASSETS-OTHER>                             155,610,496
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                          12,813,961,129
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                   265,382,444
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                   82,030,048
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                        347,412,492
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                 9,105,538,109
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                      122,890,195
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                       85,903,533
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                   50,955,785
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                    826,073,191
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                 2,483,981,552
<NET-ASSETS>                            12,466,548,637
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                          249,095,556
<INTEREST-INCOME>                           16,335,535
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                             112,440,630
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                    152,990,461
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                   972,879,381
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                1,552,938,705
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                    2,678,808,547
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                 (19,094,099)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                  (76,570,245)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                     54,543,779
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>               (20,631,231)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                          3,074,114
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                   7,252,931,389
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                   96,764,243
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                   (33,621,782)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                       53,176,675
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                            120,265,488
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                     2,748,046,277
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            21.20
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .35
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           8.67
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.20)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.79)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              29.23
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.89
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING]                               0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE]                                 0