The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange flared up 230 points, or 1.4 per cent, to 16,421, in early trade, today, driven by a rally on the Asian bourses. After surrendering some of its gains, the Sensex was still 180 points, or 1.1 percent in the green, at 16,372, a short while ago. Stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan were up by between 0.4 percent and 2.7 percent.