The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange pared some of its initial gains, to stand 76 points, or 0.4 per cent in positive territory, at 18,491 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had opened with a gain of 118 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 18,532, on continued buying by funds, amid rising Asian bourses. Stock markets Japan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan had climbed between 0.1 percent and 1.2 percent, today, after the Bank of Japan said it will maintain stimulus, and loan growth in China topped estimates. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had gained 0.9 per cent, to close at fresh record high, in yesterday's trade.