Among the various means of investments, equities are giving good returns. Statistics show this. Instead of investing in stock markets directly, it is better to approach mutual fund managers. In mutual funds, you have Equities (shares) and debt (bonds), together called Balanced Funds. They are various schemes among these, with slight difference between each. Find out which of these thousands of funds or schemes give good returns and invest in them through Simple Investment Plan (SIP).

• Cent per cent funds are invested in shares. Risk factor is more. To reduce the risk factor, there are large cap funds that are invested in blue chip companies, mid and small cap companies that face more ups and downs (when the market value is in between or less), midcap, small cap funds that are invested differently in stocks.
• IDFC Infrastructure fund gave the highest returns in Equity category, last year. It gave returns of 44.13 per cent. The returns are only 19 per cent per annum, for three years. In five years, it is 15 per cent. One should not go by annual returns alone, when it comes to investments. At least 19 per cent returns in three years is good. But there are many other funds that give better returns in three or five years.
• L&T Emerging Business Fund is also on the top of the list, when it comes to returns annually and in three years. It has distributed 43 per cent returns in one year and 28 per cent returns in the next year.
• DSP Black Rock Natural Research and New Energy Fund also gave 41.68 per cent returns in one year, 24.41 per cent in three years and 20.69 per cent in five years.
• Reliance Banking Fund is giving 40 per cent returns in one year, 21.57 per cent in three years and 22.37 per cent in five years.
• Reliance small cap funds is giving 39.76 per cent funds in one year, 27.69 per cent in three years and 32.99 per cent in five years.
• L&T midcap funds give 37.75 per cent returns in one year, 27.29 per cent in three years and 29 per cent in five years.
• Invesco India Banking Fund gives 37.53 per cent returns in one year, 23.20 per cent in three years and 21.54 per cent in five years.
• L&T Infra Fund gives 36.45 per cent in one year, 20.94 per cent in three years and 21.72 per cent in five years.
• Mirae Asset Emerging Blue chip Fund (G) has given 34.55 per cent in a year, 29.68 per cent in three years, and 32.62 per cent in five years.
• IDFC Sterling Equity Fund has given 33.68 per cent in a year, 20.72 per cent in three years and 22.10 per cent in five years.
• Canara Robeco Emerging Equity Fund has given 32.29 per cent returns in one year, 26.43 per cent in three years, and 30.29 per cent in five years.
• SBI small and midcap fund gives 31.69 per cent returns in one year, 30.79 per cent in three years and 33.28 per cent in five years.
• Motilal Oswal Most-Focussed Multicap Fund gives 30.66 per cent returns in one year, 28 per cent in three years.
• Principal Emerging Blue Chip Fund gives 29.40 per cent returns in one year, 25.84 per cent in three years and 29.35 per cent in five years.
• L&T India Value Fund gives 29.15 per cent in one year, 23.95 per cent in three years and 27.66 per cent in five years.
• Sundaram Smile Fund gives 28.76 per cent in one year, 25.60 per cent in three years and 27.26 per cent in five years.
• Birla Sun Life Small and Midcap Fund gives 28.27 per cent, 26.58 per cent in three years and 27.16 per cent in five years.
• HDFC Midcap opportunities gives 33 per cent returns in one year, 23 per cent in three years and 27 per cent in five years.
• Kotak Emerging Equity Scheme will give 26 per cent in one year, 25 per cent in three years and 26 per cent in five years.
• Franklin India smaller companies fund gives 24 per cent in one year, 24 per cent in three years and 32 per cent in five years.
• DSP Black Rock Small and Midcap funds, 27 per cent in one year, 22 per cent in three years and 25 per cent in five years.

• Tata Retirement Savings Fund gives 21.93 percent in one year, 20.13 per cent in three years and 20.24 per cent in five years.
• HDFC Balanced Funds gives 22.37 per cent returns in one year, 16.49 per cent in three years, 19.68 per cent returns in five years.
• ICICI Prudential Balanced Fund gives 22.37 per cent in one year, 16.49 per cent in three years and 19.68 per cent in five years.
• L&T India Prudence Fund gives returns of 19 per cent in one year, 17 per cent in three years and 20 per cent in five years.
• Birla Sun Life Balanced 96 Fund gives 17 per cent in one year, 16.31 per cent in three years and 18.84 per cent in five years.
• DSP Black Rock Balanced Fund gives 16.64 per cent to 16.96 per cent in five years.
• Reliance Regular Savings Fund Balanced gives 20 per cent in one year, 16 per cent in three years and 18 per cent in five years.

• SBI Tax Advantage Fund Series 2 gives 32.40 per cent in one year, 21.70 per cent in three years and 26.89 per cent in five years.
• DSP Black Rock Tax Saver Fund gives 30 per cent returns in one year, 19 per cent in three years and 23 per cent in five years.
• Reliance Tax Saver Funds gives 27 per cent returns in one year, 18 per cent returns in three years and 20 per cent returns in five years.
• L&T Tax Advantage Fund gives 27.49 per cent in one year, 18 per cent in three years and 20 per cent in five years.
• L&T Tax Saver Fund gives 26 per cent in one year, 20 per cent in three years and 21 per cent in five years.
• L&T long-term Advantage Fund series 1 gives 26 per cent in one year, 21 per cent in three years and 21 per cent in five years.
• Escorts Tax Plan gives 23 per cent in one year, 24 per cent in three years and 20 per cent in five years.
• Franklin India Tax Shield Fund gives 18 per in one year, 17 per cent in three years and 20 per cent in five years.
• There are certain funds that have started but have not completed three years. Yet they have given good returns. Motilal Oswal most-focussed long term Fund gives returns of 36.74 per cent in one year and Mirae Asset Tax Saver Fund gives in 35 per cent returns in one year.

• UTI Guild Advantage Fund gives 15 per cent returns in one year, 13 per cent in three years and 11 per cent in five years.
• SBI Maximum Guild Fund long term gives 13.78 per cent in one year, 13.62 per cent in three year and 12 per cent in five years.
• IDFC G, Securities Fund gives 13 per cent in one year, 13 per cent in three years and 11 per cent in five years.
• Birla Science Life Guild Plus PF plan gives 13 per cent in one year, 13 per cent in three year and 11 per cent in five years.
• ICICI Prudential Longterm Plan gives 12 per cent in one year, 13 per cent in three years and 12 per cent in five years.

Investing in bonds, government securities and debentures are called debt funds. These have low risk as well as low returns.