FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
NEWBIGGING DAVID K
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MERRILL LYNCH & CO INC [MER] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
FRIENDS PROVIDENT PLC, 15 OLD BAILEY		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/23/2004
(Street)

LONDON, X0 EC4M 7EF		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 04/23/2004(1)   A   1,275 A $ 0 10,692 (2) D  
Common Stock               11,191 I Trust (3)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option - Right to Acquire (4) $ 56.88 04/23/2004   A   3,824     (5) 04/23/2014 Common Stock 3,824 $ 0 3,824 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
NEWBIGGING DAVID K
FRIENDS PROVIDENT PLC
15 OLD BAILEY
LONDON, X0 EC4M 7EF		   X      

Signatures

 David K. Newbigging (by Michael A. LaMaina, as agent)   04/27/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These Deferred Stock Units were granted on April 23, 2004 pursuant to the Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Deferred Stock Unit and Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended (the "Plan"). Deferred Stock Units are payable in Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Common Stock upon the earlier of the fifth Annual Meeting of Stockholders following the date of their grant or the director's End of Service Date, as defined in the Plan. Transactions under the Plan are exempt under Rule 16b-3.
(2) This total reflects the reinvestment of dividend equivalents into Deferred Units and Deferred Stock Units pursuant to the terms of the Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Deferred Stock Unit and Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended; these transactions are exempt from reporting pursuant to Rule 16a-3 and/or 16a-11.
(3) These shares are held in a discretionary trust in which the reporting person is a permissable beneficiary.
(4) These stock options were granted under the Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Deferred Stock Unit and Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended. Transactions under this Plan are exempt under Rule 16b-3.
(5) All stock options will become exercisable after 10/31/04.
 
Remarks:
All reported positions have been rounded down to the nearest whole number.

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