Ohio

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati on Thursday reported higher quarterly profit driven by an increase in construction loans.

Middlefield Banc Corp. in Ohio has agreed to buy Liberty Bank in Beachwood, Ohio.

First Commonwealth Financial in Indiana, Pa., has agreed to buy all 13 branches being divested by Huntington Bancshares as part of the approval to acquire FirstMerit.

Park National in Newark, Ohio, reporter lower quarterly profit that reflected declines in service charges and higher expenses.

KeyCorp in Cleveland posted lower quarterly profit as merger-related expenses cut into the bottom line.

Fifth Third Bancorp in Cincinnati has fired its chief legal officer over what it describes as a conflict of interest.

Jack Kuntz, president and chief executive at American Savings Bank in Portsmouth, Ohio, recently put his personal cell phone number on a billboard off Interstate 71 in Cincinnati as part of an advertising campaign for his $260 million-asset institution.

The $25 billion-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that BankUnited Small Business Finance is now making loans in Ohio, Washington and Wisconsin.

Most banks will be content to let the rate chasers walk if CD rates rise, but they'll still need to hike payouts if they hope to keep pace with the competitors. Question is, how far will they go to retain their best customers?

Civista Bancshares in Sandusky, Ohio, will record a gain of roughly $1.5 million in the second quarter after a nonperforming loan was fully repaid.