The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 138 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 17,496 in early trade, today, on continued buying by funds and retail investors following the RBI's rate cut, and amid firm regional bourses. Afterwards, the Sensex trimmed some of its intial gains, but still stood a good 115 points, or 0.7 per cent in positive territory, at 17,473 in afternoon deals a short while ago. The 30-share Sensex had gained more than 260 points in the past two trading sessions. Key stock indices in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan were up by between 0.2 percent and 1.8 percent, today, after good demand at a Spanish debt sale and positive U.S. corporate earnings boosted investor confidence. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had surged 1.5 per cent, overnight.