Regional Bank Stocks Plunge, First Republic Bank Considers Sale After Credit Downgrade.

Shares of First Republic and other regional banks continue to fall, with First Republic dropping over 30% in morning trading. The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has left investors concerned about other regional banks with similar balance sheet issues, such as high rates of uninsured deposits and bonds or loans with long maturities. Despite U.S. regulators' announcement of additional support, fears of more bank failures and potential increased regulation continue to hurt regional bank stocks. Credit Suisse's struggles also add to concerns about the global banking system, but appear to be unrelated to the issues facing U.S. regional banks.