Nov. 3--Of 11 area banking companies with publicly traded stock, only two First Busey Corp. and Regions Financial reported net losses for the quarter that ended Sept. 30.

Eight others announced profitable quarters, and one has yet to report.

But several banks including profitable ones say the economy remains soft and loan demand is weak.

Reporting profitable third quarters were: JPMorganChase, PNC Financial Services Group, Commerce Bancshares, Old National Bancorp, First Midwest Bancorp, MainSource Financial Group, First Financial Corp. and First Mid-Illinois Bancshares.

Still to report is Centrue Financial, which is expected to release earnings Friday or Monday, according to Chief Financial Officer Kurt Stevenson.

Here's a roundup of third-quarter results, starting with the losses:

--First Busey Corp.

With $4.2 billion in assets, First Busey had a net loss of $283.7 million, compared with net income of $8.8 million for the same quarter a year ago.

Most of the Champaign-based company's loss was due to a $208.2 million write-off of goodwill. Without that write-off, the parent company of Busey Bank would have had a net loss of $75.5 million. Van Dukeman, First Busey's chairman and CEO, attributed much of the problem to "credit challenges" in Florida and Indianapolis.

--Regions Financial

With $140 billion in assets, Regions Financial had a net loss of $377 million, compared with net income of $79 million a year ago.

The Birmingham, Ala.-based company said the loss reflects "loan portfolio stress" as well as a charge related to branch consolidation. Regions plans to close 121 of its 1,900 branches in early 2010. Slated to close are four of the 70 offices in Illinois one office each in Lincoln, East Alton, Martinsville and Mount Carmel.

Regions Chairman and CEO Dowd Ritter said circumstances were challenging and loan demand "relatively sluggish" in the third quarter.

"However, the economy appears to have bottomed, and that bodes well for customers and for us," he said in a release.

--JPMorganChase

With $2.04 trillion in assets, JPMorganChase reported net income of $3.6 billion, up from $527 million a year ago. The New York-based company said its commercial banking segment had net income of $341 million.

--PNC Financial

With $271 billion in assets, PNC Financial reported net income of $559 million, up from $259 million a year ago.

The Pittsburgh-based company, which acquired National City on Dec. 31, plans to begin converting some National City customers to the PNC brand this month.