The staggering national housing market continues to hurt RBC Centura, which posted a $28.1 million loss in the fourth quarter, according to the latest data filed with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

The big driver of the loss was the reserve that the Raleigh bank set aside for problem loans: $87 million. That compares with $3.4 million set aside a year ago and a $25.9 million provision in the third quarter.

Increased problem loans forced the bank to ratchet up its reserves, said Buddy Howard of Equity Research Services, a Raleigh firm that tracks the banking industry.

FDIC data show that 2.96 percent of the bank's loans are not current, versus 0.65 percent a year ago.

"The whole industry is experiencing higher delinquencies," Howard said. "Just about everybody is in the same boat in terms of slippage."

However, Howard added, RBC's nonperforming assets -- a category that includes delinquent loans -- are worse than the industry average.

As a federally insured institution, RBC Centura is required to report its quarterly earnings to the FDIC. But RBC Centura officials declined to comment on the data because its publicly traded corporate parent -- Royal Bank of Canada -- doesn't plan to release its fourth-quarter results until Friday.

In December, RBC Centura CEO Scott Custer attributed the bank's higher reserves primarily to problem loans made to home builders across the country by its RBC Builder Finance unit. That unit has 32 offices in 17 states, a much larger swath of the country than the six states where RBC has bank branches.

RBC Centura's financial health is important to the Triangle. The bank will become one of downtown Raleigh's most influential tenants this year, when it is scheduled to move into its new headquarters, a $100 million, 33-story tower developed by Highwoods Properties.

The bank's $28.1 million fourth-quarter loss compares with a $21.3 million profit in the fourth quarter of 2006.

For all of 2007, RBC Centura posted a $47 million profit -- less than half the $111 million profit in 2006.

The latest numbers reflect the acquisition of 39 branches in Alabama purchased from AmSouth Bancorp, a deal that was completed in March 2007.

RBC Centura continues to expand. On Monday, it completed its biggest deal yet: the $1.6 billion acquisition of Birmingham-based Alabama National Bancorp and its 103 branch offices. With that acquisition, which was announced in September, RBC Centura has more than 430 branches.

The company plans to officially change its name next month -- it's dropping "Centura" and becoming RBC Bank.