The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange staged a remarkable recovery in afternoon trade, to stand a solid 157 points, or 0.9 percent in the positive zone, at 18,753, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, however, the Sensex had opened as much as 145 points, or 0.8 per cent in negative territory, at 18,451, with market sentiment depressd by weak regional bourses. Other Asian markets in Hong Kong, China, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea were down by between 0.2 percent and 1 percent, after Moody's Investor Service said it may cut the United States' top-notch credit rating.