The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 96 points, or 0.6 percent, to 16,753, in early trade, today, on buying by funds and retail investors.Remaining firm, the Sensex stood 100 points, or 0.6 percent in the green, at 16,758, a short while ago. Other Asian markets in Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore were up between 0.3 percent and 1.5 percent, today, lifted by economic reports from the U.S. to Japan to Australia that showed accelerating growth.