PNC Bank Ranks No. 1 Among Small Business Lenders

- Tops in Pittsburgh's MSA Region for Loan Dollar Volume Based on FFIEC Data -

-- PNC Bank, a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC - News) supported small business owners across Western Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh and Erie, with $48.1 million in U.S. Small Business Administration loans, which ranks No. 1 in total dollar volume.

PNC Bank, recognized by the SBA as a Preferred Lender for its ongoing proficiency in processing SBA-guaranteed loans, achieved the top ranking in the local SBA District for the U.S. government's new reporting period of Oct. 1, 2004, to Sept. 30, 2005. The district is comprised of 27 counties in Western Pennsylvania, including Allegheny, Erie and others.

"PNC has been a leading small business lender in Western Pennsylvania for years and has the expertise needed to make borrowing easier and more convenient for small businesses," said Jeffrey Schmidt, manager of business banking, PNC Bank, across eight states and the District of Columbia. "Our business bankers will work closely with our customers to help choose the right solutions to meet their financial needs."

PNC Bank provides a wide range of credit solutions to small businesses, ranging from conventional loans, the PNC Capital Access Program, SBA loans and other government-sponsored lending programs. In July 2005, PNC's Pennsylvania Working Capital Growth Fund was announced by Gov. Edward G. Rendell, Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Dennis Yablonsky and PNC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer James E. Rohr.

Results released Sept. 30 by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council show that PNC also ranked No. 1 in the Pittsburgh region (the metropolitan statistical area is comprised of seven counties) for overall small business loans based on dollar volume. PNC's total for 2004 was $205.6 million in loans under $100,000 apiece. The FFIEC is a formal interagency body that prescribes standards for the federal examination of financial institutions by the Federal Reserve System, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and other agencies.

PNC Bank, N.A. is a member of the PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. PNC is one of the nation's largest diversified financial services organizations providing consumer and business banking; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management; asset management and global fund services

What are people saying about mortgages today:

Rates on 30-year mortgages edged down last week to a seven-month low. Mortgage-giant Freddie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages fell to 6.3 percent, down slightly from 6.31 percent two weeks ago. It put rates at the lowest level since they were at 6.24 percent the first week of March.

Bank of Hawaii, Central Pacific Bank, Territorial Savings Bank and Wells Fargo Home Mortgages all cut their 30-year mortgage rates to 5.75 percent this week.

Most people think of a mortgage as a means to an end. After all, you buy a house, not a home loan. But a mortgage is much more than the path to homeownership. It is a financial instrument that must be managed, just like any other financial investment.