The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 142 points, or 0.8 per cent, to 18,553 in opening trade, this morning, on renewed buying by investors, driven by a positive trend on the other Asian bourses. Afterwards, the Sensex continued firm, and stood 140 points, or 0.8 percent in the positive zone, at 18,551 in afternoon deals, a short while ago. The 30-share Sensex had lost more than 665 points in the past three trading sessions.Other Asian markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore and South Korea were up by between 0.4 percent and 1.4 percent, today, after the latest data showed a modest slowing in Chinese economic growth. But in the US, the key Dow Jones Industrial Average had declined 0.5 per cent, overnight.