The US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke dropped a bombshell on Wednesday indicating a gradual end to the stimulus package rattling emerging markets. The Sensex tanked, crashing 526 points or nearly three per cent to close at 18,719 points. The rupee too fell sharply, briefly touching a historic low of Rs 60 to a dollar, before the Reserve Bank of India intervened to shore up the currency. The rupee ended the day 87 paise down at Rs 59.58/dollar.