The BSE benchmark Sensex declined by over 57 points in early trade today as investors preferred to book profits after two sessions of gains. Besides, a subdued trend on Asian bourses also dampened the trading sentiments.The 30-share barometer fell by 57.26 points to 19,418. The index had gained nearly 232 points in the previous two sessions.Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty shed over 16 points to 5,913.In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei Index shed 1.03 percent, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index down 0.28 per cent in early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.74 per cent down in yesterday's trade.