The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 81 points, or 0.5 percent, to 17,394, in the afternoon trade, a short while age. The Nifty, at the National Stock Exchange rose 27 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,253. Overseas, in other Asian markets, key indices in Japan, Hong Kong, China and South Korea rose between 0.1 percent and 0.7 percent, in intra-day trade, today.