Host Conference Call on October 16, 2001 at 8:30 AM EST

Fifth Third Bancorp will report third quarter 2001 financial results on October 16, 2001. The earnings announcement will be available at www.53.com at 7a.m. EST.

Fifth Third President & CEO George A. Schaefer, Jr. and Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer Neal E. Arnold will host a short earnings highlights conference call at 8:30 a.m. EST. Investors, analysts and other interested parties may dial into the conference call at 888-890-6816 for domestic access and 847-619-6449 for international access.

A replay of the conference call will be available until October 23, 2001 by dialing 888-843-8996 for domestic access and 630-652-3044 for international access, (passcode: 4830798).

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $70 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 941 full-service Banking Centers, including 144 Bank Mart® locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 1,905 Jeanie® ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Florida. The financial strength of Fifth Third's affiliate banks merits deposit ratings of AA- and Aa2 from Standard & Poor's and Moody's, respectively. Additionally, Fifth Third Bancorp continues to maintain the highest short-term ratings available at A-1+ and Prime-1, and was recently recognized by Moody's with one of the highest senior debt ratings for any U.S. bank holding company of Aa3. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Retail, Commercial, Investment Advisors and Midwest Payment Systems, the Bank's data processing subsidiary. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com; press releases are also available by fax at no charge by calling 800-758-5804, identification number 281775. The Company's common stock is traded in the over-the-counter market through the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol "FITB."