Shares of Indiabulls Housing Finance, Lakshmi Vilas Bank hit 52-week lows after RBI rejected their merger proposal

New Delhi: Shares of Indiabulls Housing Finance and Lakshmi Vilas Bank plummeted up to 20 percent on Thursday after the Reserve Bank of India rejected their merger proposal. Indiabulls Housing Finance (IBHF) stock tumbled 18.02 percent to trade at Rs 197 on the BSE. In early trade, the scrip touched its 52-week low of Rs 192.65, shedding 19.82 percent over its previous close. On similar lines, the scrip fell 17.24 percent to Rs 198.45 on the NSE. It hit its 52-week low of Rs 192.65, down 19.66 percent. [caption id=“attachment_4409003” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters.[/caption] Shares of Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) sank 5 percent to hit lower price band as well as one-year low of Rs 25.65 on the BSE. The scrip was trading at its lower price band and a 52-week low of Rs 25.65 on the NSE too, cracking 4.82 percent. The Reserve Bank on Wednesday rejected non-banking lender IBHF’s proposal to merge with the capital-starved private sector lender LVB. Both LVB as well as IBHF informed the bourses late Wednesday evening about the RBI decision, but did not specify the reasons for the same, which, however, for many was in the offing given the regulator’s stated opposition to corporates and realty-focused entities entering the banking arena. The merger proposal had already received all other approvals, including those from the fair trade watchdog. “The Reserve Bank has informed us that the application for voluntary amalgamation of IBHF and Indiabulls Commercial Credit with LVB cannot be approved,” LVB informed the exchanges. Meanwhile, Indiabulls Housing Finance informed the exchanges on Wednesday after trading hours about a board meeting scheduled for Monday, 14 October, to consider the proposal of buyback of equity shares of the company.