The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange gained 77 points, to 18,219 in opening trade on Friday morning, on continued buying by investors, amid easing food inflation. Later, the Sensex climbed further, and stood 162 points, or 0.9 percent in positive territory, at 18,303, in afternoon deals, a short while ago. The markets in Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea were trading mixed on Friday. The US Dow Jones Industrial average had ended 0.4 per cent higher, overnight.