<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000708955 <NAME> FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1996 <CASH> 95,773 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 8,431 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 6,869 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 271,570 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 88,206 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 94,346 <LOANS> 1,537,452 <ALLOWANCE> 20,659 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,070,782 <DEPOSITS> 1,766,156 <SHORT-TERM> 36,911 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 26,727 <LONG-TERM> 3,558 <COMMON> 104,184 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <OTHER-SE> 133,246 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,070,782 <INTEREST-LOAN> 34,475 <INTEREST-INVEST> 6,196 <INTEREST-OTHER> 266 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 40,937 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 16,198 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 16,807 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 24,130 <LOAN-LOSSES> 606 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 0 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 17,128 <INCOME-PRETAX> 11,653 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 11,653 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 7,826 <EPS-PRIMARY> .60 <EPS-DILUTED> .60 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.71 <LOANS-NON> 3,789 <LOANS-PAST> 1,037 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 582 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 20,437 <CHARGE-OFFS> 610 <RECOVERIES> 226 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 20,659 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 0 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0