The sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 83 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 16,500 in early trade, today, on continued buying by funds and retail investors, amid covering-up of short positions by speculators, and positive regional bourses. Later, the Sensex firmed up further, and stood 102 points, or 0.6 per cent in the green, at 16,519 in afternoon deals, a short while ago. Sentiment was also helped by global rating agency, Moody's comment that the sliding rupee will not impact India's sovereign ratings. Key stock indices in Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea were up by between 0.4 percent and 2.8 percent, today.