The BSE benchmark Sensex gained nearly 90 points in early trade today on sustained buying by funds and retail investors mainly in oil and gas, power, realty and IT sector stocks. Rising for the second straight session, the 30-share barometer rose by 89.34 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 19,762.98. In yesterday's session, Sensex had gone up by 98 points.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty traded 22.90 points, or 0.36 per cent, higher at 5,993.95. Brokers said the sentiment remained firm on sustained buying on hopes of encouraging IIP data for March to be released later this week and a mixed trend in the Asian trade.

In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei gained 0.28 per cent to trade at nearly five-year high, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.14 per cent in early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, ended 0.03 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.

PTI