BL Morning Report March 24, 2026: Get today’s top business news, market headlines about the Stock Market, Sensex & Nifty trends, key market insights, economic highlights, and the latest updates from India and global markets.

HDFC Bank stock plunges to a fresh 52-week low

Shares in HDFC Bank have slumped to a fresh 52-week low of 740 on Monday, falling by almost 5 percent after the bank’s Part-Time Chairman Atanu Chakraborty resigned last week, citing a mismatch in his values with the bank’s practices. The bank’s shares have slumped, and the broader banking index has fallen by almost 4 percent over concerns about the conflict in West Asia and rising inflation. The investment firm, Macquarie, has removed HDFC Bank from its top buy list, citing issues with the bank’s governance, while the bank’s new Interim Chairman, Keki Mistry, has said there is no power struggle in the bank.

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Kerala’s familiar LDF–UDF script faces disruption

Kerala votes on April 9th in what could be its most competitive Assembly election yet, with the ruling LDF seeking a historic third term, the Congress-led UDF fighting to reclaim ground, and the BJP aiming for double digits after its symbolic capture of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. All three fronts face internal troubles, as voters decide whether this election marks a lasting shift in Kerala’s traditionally two-front politics.

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NDA nears Tamil Nadu seat-sharing deal for Assembly elections; AIADMK 165-170 seats, BJP 30-35

The NDA is set to finalise its Tamil Nadu Assembly election seat-sharing deal today, with the AIADMK expected to contest around 165-170 seats and the BJP 30-35 — a significant jump from the BJP’s 2021 tally. Union Minister Piyush Goyal arrived in Chennai to seal the pact, with smaller allies including PMK, Tamil Maanila Congress, and the newly joined AMMK also in negotiations.

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Trump presses pause on Iran war, postpones military strikes on power plants ‘subject to success of ongoing meetings’

US President Donald Trump announced Monday he has ordered the military to pause planned strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days, citing productive talks with Tehran. The move follows Iran’s warning that it would target power plants supplying US bases across the Gulf if attacked. However, Iran’s state-linked Fars news agency denied any direct or indirect communications with Washington, saying Trump backed down under pressure from Tehran’s threat.

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Published on March 24, 2026