WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811444
<NAME> THE PRUDENTIAL BALANCED FUND
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 001
<NAME> THE PRUDENTIAL BALANCED FUND (CLASS A)
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> JULY-31-2000
<PERIOD-END> JULY-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 921,560,086
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 984,445,159
<RECEIVABLES> 8,879,628
<ASSETS-OTHER> 327,966
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 993,652,753
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 2,231,587
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 1,802,831
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 4,034,418
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 860,509,416
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 79,140,656
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 87,008,030
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 2,436,307
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 63,763,164
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 62,909,448
<NET-ASSETS> 989,618,335
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 10,297,899
<INTEREST-INCOME> 30,097,289
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 14,618,823
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 25,776,365
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 76,038,145
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (15,761,824)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 86,052,686
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (24,922,189)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> (71,203,608)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 128,616,112
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (314,910,778)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 91,690,955
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (104,676,822)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 3,116,710
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 44,202,537
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 6,779,981
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 14,618,823
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 522,040,000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.66
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.33
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.71
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.33)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.85)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.52
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.20
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0.00
</TABLE>
