Stock Crash: Bank shares in turmoil: 18% crash in minutes, 43% drop in a month leaves investors breathless!:Amidst a booming market, the bank's stock suddenly crashed on March 24, 2026. Within minutes, the stock fell nearly 18%, reaching below ₹114. The stock has fallen 43% in the past month, and nearly 45% in three years.

News Topical, Digital Desk : This sharp decline in the bank's stock has shocked the market. On March 24, the stock opened at ₹144, compared to a closing price of ₹140.57, but selling began immediately. The stock quickly fell by nearly 18% to ₹114.25 by 12 noon. This decline came at a time when the broader market was showing strength. The real reason for this decline is a major news item that broke on March 23. The Telangana High Court declared the arrest of the company's MD and CEO, Rishi Gupta, valid. The case is said to be related to an investigation into GST and tax evasion. Although the investigation is not directly related to the bank's business operations but rather to certain merchants and program managers, the CEO's arrest has shaken market confidence.

Talking about Fino Payments Bank,
Its impact was visible as early as March 23rd. That day, the stock fell nearly 10% to around ₹137, setting an intraday 52-week low. The carry-over effect of this news began on March 24th.

This was evident. Investors feared further investigations or action. Such matters are viewed as governance risks in the market. When questions are raised about a company's top management, investors quickly distance themselves. This is why Fino Payments Bank's stock was under significant pressure from both the sector and the market. Technical factors also accelerated the decline. The stock had already fallen 30-40% in the past 1-2 months. As soon as negative news broke, stop-losses were triggered, and panic selling began. The stock is trading below all major moving averages (5, 20, 50, 100, and 200 days), clearly indicating a strong bearish trend. However, the fundamental picture is not entirely bleak. The company recently received RBI approval to transition to a Small Finance Bank (SFB). Growth in deposits and an EBITDA margin of around 16% are also positive signs for the company. But currently, the market is focusing more on risks than fundamentals. Investors want to know whether any further regulatory action will be taken or not. This uncertainty is putting the biggest pressure on the stock.

What should be done next?

This is a time for retail investors to be very cautious. In such stocks where there is governance risk, hasty buying can be risky. Overall... Fino Payments Bank stock is currently going through a phase of "sentiment over fundamentals". Until the legal and regulatory uncertainty is cleared, the stock may remain under pressure.