Mumbai: The benchmark Sensex opened in the green by rising 164 points today, buoyed by value-buying in select blue-chips at a time of firm Asian cues.   

The 30-share BSE index was up 163.80 points, or 0.49 percent, at 32,924.24. Also, the NSE Nifty rose by 50.85 points, or 0.50 percent, to 10,168.90. All sectoral indices, including capital goods, oil and gas, consumer durables and healthcare, advanced by up to 0.60 percent.  

The Sensex had lost 554.12 points in the previous three sessions on subdued exports, higher inflation and muted second-quarter earnings of some companies.   Value-buying in recent losers and a better trend at other Asian markets triggered a fresh spell of buying on the domestic bourses here.   

Besides, a continued slide in crude oil prices drew investors' attention, fuelling buying in oil marketing company stocks, they added. Prominent gainers were Reliance Industries, Tata Motors, ONGC, L&T, Bharti Airtel and Dr Reddy's, rising by up to 1.88 percent.   

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up by 0.61 percent while Japan's Nikkei added 0.83 percent in early trade today. Shanghai Composite, however, was down 0.10 percent.   The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.59 percent lower yesterday.