The BSE benchmark Sensex declined by 36 points in early trade today as participants booked profits after recent gains amid a weak trend overseas. The 30-share barometer, which had gained over 598 points in the last three sessions, fell by 36 points to 17,200.In a similar fashion, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shed 15 to 5,214 points.In Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 0.02 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.99 per cent in early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.49 per cent lower in yesterday's trade as investors looked to the Federal Reserve's two-day monetary policy meeting.