The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 157 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 17,216 in early trade, today, on fresh buying by funds and retail investors, at attractive lower levels. Later, the Sensex gathered considerably more steam, to stand a solid 298 points, or 1.8 per cent in positive territory, at 17,356, in afternoon deals, a short while ago. Key stock indices in Japan, China, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea were trading mixed, today.