-- Net Loan Portfolio Increases 16.7% to $137.1 Million

         -- Total Assets Increase to $239.8 Million

         -- Expansion of Headquarters Underway

    PARIS, Ill., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- First BancTrust Corporation
(Nasdaq: FBTC) today reported third-quarter net income of $262,000 or 11 cents
per diluted share, compared with $299,000, or 12 cents per diluted share, a
year earlier.
    For the nine months ended September 30, 2005, net income was $965,000, or
40 cents per diluted share, compared with $849,000, or 35 cents per diluted
share, for the prior-year period.
    "Our net loan portfolio increased by 16.7 percent to $137.1 million at
September 30, 2005 from $117.5 million at December 31, 2004, continuing our
focus on originating quality loans as part of our strategy to improve core
banking business.  This also represents a nearly 6.7 percent increase in our
loan portfolio from its level of $128.5 million at the close of the second
quarter," said Terry J. Howard, president and chief executive officer. "Our
efforts to lessen the effects of the substantial decrease in fees and other
income related to the mortgage refinancing boom of a year ago are yielding
results. The growing loan portfolio should have a beneficial effect in future
quarters."
    Howard noted net interest income increased by 7.1 percent during the
quarter to $1.9 million while the provision for loan losses decreased to
$99,000 from $126,000 in the third quarter last year. That resulted in a
9.3 percent increase in net interest income to $1.8 million after provisions
for loan losses.  Net interest margin in the third quarter increased slightly
to 3.38 percent from 3.36 percent in the third quarter a year ago as a result
of an increase in the level of interest bearing assets although the company's
interest spread declined by three basis points to 3.04 percent from
3.07 percent in the third quarter of last year.  For the nine-month period,
net interest income rose to $5.6 million from $5.4 million, an increase of
4.3 percent.  Net interest margin remained constant in the first nine months
of 2005 at 3.43 percent relative to its level in the first nine months of
2004.  Interest spread in the first nine months of the year declined by six
basis points to 3.06 percent from 3.12 percent in the same period a year
earlier, according to the Company.
    Noninterest income declined by 17 percent in the third quarter to $848,000
from $1.0 million in the third quarter a year ago.  The decline resulted from
a combination of lower service fees and charges, lower net loan servicing fees
and lower net gains on sales of available securities, offset in part by an
increase in customer service fees.  For the first nine months of 2005,
noninterest income declined by 4.7 percent to $2.5 million from $2.6 million
in the same period a year earlier.  The decline was primarily attributable to
decreases in the net loan servicing fees and in net gains realized from loan
sales, partially offset by an increase in gains on sales of available for sale
securities and abstract and title fees.
    Noninterest expenses for the nine-month period of 2005 were $6.6 million,
compared with $6.3 million in the same period the previous year.  The increase
stemmed primarily from higher occupancy expenses, higher data processing
expenses and a reduction in the amount of recovery of the previously recorded
impairment of loan servicing rights, the majority of which had already been
recovered.  These were offset in part by reductions in the amortization of
loan servicing rights and lower professional fees, noted the Company.
    "Results for the quarter and nine-month periods reflected the changes to
our business.  We have been affected by a number of situations," Howard said.
"We recorded a $62,000 one-time charge in the third quarter to reflect the
fact that the consideration we received in a real estate exchange with the
City of Paris, IL was less than the book value of the property we exchanged.
    "We are continuing to see the results of decisions we made earlier yield
increasing benefits.  The volume of new loans across all categories continues
to grow.  The commercial component of our portfolio has increased, primarily
as a result of our decision to establish ourselves in Savoy where there is a
greater amount of commercial loan activity.  Our expanded product line is
attracting deposits and yielding increases in customer fees," Howard noted.

    Expansion Efforts Continue
    "As previously announced on October 3, we completed the acquisition of
Rantoul First Bank," Howard noted. "That acquisition provides us with an
increased footprint in economically vibrant Champaign County.  We are in the
process of integrating the Rantoul operation into our organization.  Although
the transaction, as mentioned in earlier announcements, is expected to be
modestly dilutive to earnings in 2005, we expect it to be accretive in 2006
and beyond as the economy of Champaign County continues to expand.
    "Additionally, construction is underway on a significant expansion of our
operations center in Paris.  When completed in 2006, this $5.6 million project
will not only increase the level of service our customers experience with
conveniences such as multiple drive-through lanes, it will also improve the
efficiency of our operations by bringing employees currently dispersed around
town into a single location.  The expanded facility will also be sufficient to
accommodate our space needs as we continue to grow.  It is an investment in
the future of First BancTrust," added Howard.

    Assets, Deposits
    Total assets at September 30, 2005, were $239.8 million compared with
$230.9 million at December 31, 2004.  Deposits were $158.4 million compared
with $159.5 million at year-end 2004.
    "Continued growth in our loan portfolio coupled with our expanded product
line, which we expect to generate greater customer fee income, and our growing
geographic presence in east-central Illinois have positioned us well to
achieve continuing growth in both our assets and our profitability.  However
we will also be disciplined in pursuing further growth to make certain that we
maintain high levels of service for our customers and generate the kind of
returns our shareholders expect," Howard concluded.

    About First BancTrust
    First BancTrust Corporation is a holding company that owns all of the
capital stock of First Bank & Trust, S. B., an Illinois-chartered savings bank
that conducts business from its main office located in Paris, Illinois, and
branch banks in Marshall, Savoy, and Rantoul, Illinois.

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning
of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  The Company intends such
forward-looking statements to be covered by the safe harbor provisions for
forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995 as amended, and is including this statement for purposes of
these safe harbor provisions.  Forward-looking statements, which are based on
certain assumptions and describe future plans, strategies and expectations of
the Company, are generally identifiable by use of the words "believe,"
"expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," or similar
expressions.  The Company's ability to predict results or the actual effect of
future plans or strategies is inherently uncertain.  Factors which could have
a material adverse affect on the operations and future prospects of the
Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries include, but are not limited to,
changes in: interest rates; general economic conditions;
legislative/regulatory provisions; monetary and fiscal policies of the U.S.
Government, including policies of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Reserve
Board; the quality of composition of the loan or investment portfolios; demand
for loan products; deposit flows; competition; demand for financial services
in the Company's market area; and accounting principles, policies, and
guidelines.  These risks and uncertainties should be considered in evaluating
forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such
statements.  Further information concerning the Company and its business,
including additional factors that could materially affect the Company's
financial results, is included in the Company's filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.


                           First BancTrust Corporation
                          Selected Financial Information
                   (in thousands of dollars except share data)

    Balance Sheet Data                                   Sept. 30,   Dec. 31,
                                                            2005       2004
                                                        (unaudited)
    Total Assets                                          $239,771   $230,924
    Cash And Cash Equivalents                                7,331      9,113
    Investment Securities                                   73,657     88,722
    FHLB Stock                                               4,426      4,256
    Loans Held For Sale                                        480        138
    Loans, Net Of Allowance For
     Loan Losses Of $2,396 And $2,300                      137,107    117,448
    Deposits                                               158,405    159,471
    Federal funds purchased                                  7,000      2,000
    Federal Home Loan Bank advances                         40,500     40,500
    Junior subordinated debentures                           6,186          -
    Total Stockholders' Equity                              26,320     27,547

    Book Value Per Common Share                             $11.08     $11.04



    Summary Of Operations               3 Months Ended        9 Months Ended
                                         September 30,         September 30,
                                       2005       2004       2005       2004
                                                    (unaudited)
    Interest Income                   $3,220     $2,821     $9,270     $8,648
    Interest Expenses                  1,357      1,081      3,660      3,269

    Net Interest Income                1,863      1,740      5,610      5,379

    Provision For Loan Losses             99        126        287        388

    Net Interest Income After
     Provision For Loan Losses         1,764      1,614      5,323      4,991
    Noninterest Income                   848      1,022      2,500      2,622
    Noninterest Expense                2,305      2,171      6,589      6,315

    Income Before Income Tax             307        465      1,234      1,298
    Income Tax Expense                    45        166        269        449

    Net Income                          $262       $299       $965       $849

    Share Data
    Weighted Avg. Shares Out. -
     Basic                         2,205,758  2,271,313  2,250,875  2,260,285
    Weighted Avg. Shares Out. -
     Diluted                       2,348,986  2,418,342  2,390,816  2,420,902

    Basic Earnings Per Share           $0.12      $0.13      $0.43      $0.38
    Diluted Earnings Per Share         $0.11      $0.12      $0.40      $0.35

    Ratios Based On Net Income
    Return on Average
    Stockholders' Equity               3.96%      4.51%      4.78%      4.25%
    Return On Average Assets           0.44%      0.54%      0.41%      0.50%

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