The BSE benchmark Sensex gained 54 points in early trade today on continued foreign funds inflow and a firming trend in the Asian region. The 30-share index by 54 points to 20,302 with IT, oil and gas, realty, auto and capital goods stocks leading the gains.Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index, Nifty, moved up by 9 points to 6,178.In Asia, Japan's Nikkei up by 0.35 per cent, in early trade, while Hong Kong's market remained closed.The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.28 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.