The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 99 points at 16,000-mark in early trade today. The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 32.40 points to 4,880.55. In Asia, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index rose by 0.83 per cent and Japan's Nikkei Index by 0.46 per cent in morning trade. Meanwhile, the rupee strengthened by 27 paise to 55.38 against the dollar in early trade today.