Paring its initial gains, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood 54 points, or 0.3 percent in the positive zone, at 20,714 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had climbed 94 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 20,753, on fresh buying by funds, amid firm Asian bourses. The Sensex had lost lost over 660 points in Stock markets in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea had gained between 0.2 percent and 1.2 percent, today, after data showed that manufacturing growth accelerated in Europe and the US. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 0.8 per cent higher in yesterday's trade.