<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000708955 <NAME> FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP <MULTIPLIER> 1000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998 <CASH> 130,533 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 3,289 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 4,091 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 365,540 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 48,678 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 51,011 <LOANS> 2,000,429 <ALLOWANCE> 27,967 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,658,359 <DEPOSITS> 2,200,313 <SHORT-TERM> 74,285 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 32,912 <LONG-TERM> 60,356 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 132,486 <OTHER-SE> 158,007 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,658,359 <INTEREST-LOAN> 45,911 <INTEREST-INVEST> 6,554 <INTEREST-OTHER> 223 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 52,688 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 19,577 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 21,217 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 31,471 <LOAN-LOSSES> 1,250 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 44 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 22,592 <INCOME-PRETAX> 15,434 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 15,434 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 10,103 <EPS-PRIMARY> .31 <EPS-DILUTED> .30 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 8.83 <LOANS-NON> 5,985 <LOANS-PAST> 2,585 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 1,812 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 27,510 <CHARGE-OFFS> 1,052 <RECOVERIES> 259 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 27,967 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 27,967 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0