<ARTICLE> 9 <CIK> 0000708955 <NAME> FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> APR-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998 <CASH> 125,990 <INT-BEARING-DEPOSITS> 3,578 <FED-FUNDS-SOLD> 6,811 <TRADING-ASSETS> 0 <INVESTMENTS-HELD-FOR-SALE> 352,932 <INVESTMENTS-CARRYING> 41,706 <INVESTMENTS-MARKET> 43,763 <LOANS> 2,091,980 <ALLOWANCE> 28,917 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,737,793 <DEPOSITS> 2,261,685 <SHORT-TERM> 90,888 <LIABILITIES-OTHER> 27,357 <LONG-TERM> 62,247 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 231,837 <OTHER-SE> 63,779 <TOTAL-LIABILITIES-AND-EQUITY> 2,737,793 <INTEREST-LOAN> 93,704 <INTEREST-INVEST> 13,129 <INTEREST-OTHER> 433 <INTEREST-TOTAL> 107,266 <INTEREST-DEPOSIT> 39,829 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 43,040 <INTEREST-INCOME-NET> 64,226 <LOAN-LOSSES> 2,448 <SECURITIES-GAINS> 337 <EXPENSE-OTHER> 45,336 <INCOME-PRETAX> 32,125 <INCOME-PRE-EXTRAORDINARY> 32,125 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 21,171 <EPS-PRIMARY> .64 <EPS-DILUTED> .64 <YIELD-ACTUAL> 5.37 <LOANS-NON> 5,306 <LOANS-PAST> 1,746 <LOANS-TROUBLED> 1,170 <LOANS-PROBLEM> 0 <ALLOWANCE-OPEN> 27,510 <CHARGE-OFFS> (2,396) <RECOVERIES> 549 <ALLOWANCE-CLOSE> 28,917 <ALLOWANCE-DOMESTIC> 28,917 <ALLOWANCE-FOREIGN> 0 <ALLOWANCE-UNALLOCATED> 0