ICICI Balanced Fund:ICICI Balanced Fund invests in equities and related securities, apart from money market securities and fixed income securities. A minimum of 60% is invested in equity and the remaining is invested in debt related instruments.Performance – The fund has shown a good performance in the last ten years with 14.5% annualised return in comparison to 6.3% balanced fund category. The risk here is reduced by investing a part in debt instruments.An investment portfolio differs from person to person and is based on the investment style and risk appetite of the investor. It also depends on the choices of the fund manager, if hired by an investor and his understanding of the market. If you are a high risk investor, you can opt to add more funds in the mid-cap category and if you are a moderate risk investor, you can opt for balanced mutual funds.When you start investing, you should keep in mind to be patient for a minimum of three years to reap satisfactory returns. However, despite choosing funds through research, the market is subject to risks and could yield negative return at times. Hiring a financial planner or advisor is a good idea if you are short of time yet want to explore the market.