The BSE benchmark Sensex today fell by 61 points in early trade as funds and retail investors booked profits after previous session's gains. The 30-share barometer declined by 61 points to 18,250 with healthcare, FMCG, PSUs and power stocks succumbing to profit-booking. The index had surged by 407 points yesterday after four sessions of losses. Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 17 points to 5,391.In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose 0.51 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei up 1.64 per cent in the opening trade today. The US Dow Jones had ended 0.44 per cent higher in yesterday's trade.