The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 174 points, or 1 per cent, to 17,620 in early trade, today, on fresh buying by funds and retail investors, at attactive lower levels. Later, the Sensex gained further ground, and stood a good 251 points, or 1.4 percent in the positive zone, at 17,697 in afternoon deals, a short while ago. The 30-share Sensex had lost over 970 points in the past four trading sessions.Other Asian markets in China, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore were up by between 0.1 percent 1.2 percent, today, after positive US economic data.