Mumbai: The benchmark BSE Sensex advanced almost 101 points in the early session today on buying by domestic institutional investors amid mixed Asian cues.  

The 30-share index was trading higher by 100.96 points or 0.31 per cent at 31,763.70 with all the sectoral indices led by consumer durables, capital goods, metal and healthcare rising by up to 0.91 per cent.   The gauge had gained 0.77 points in the previous session.  

Also, the NSE Nifty rose 31.70 points or 0.31 per cent to 9,961.60.   Brokers said persistent buying by domestic institutional investors (DIIs) and selective buying by other participants amid a mixed trend at other Asian bourses influenced sentiments here.    

DIIs bought shares worth Rs 245.32 crore but foreign funds remained net sellers, dumping shares worth Rs 564 crore yesterday, according to provisional figures.  Major gainers that lifted the key indices included L&T, Tata Steel, Coal India, Cipla, HDFC Bank, ITC Ltd, Hind Unilever, HDFC Ltd, Hero MotoCorp, ONGC, Lupin, TCS and Reliance Industries, rising up to 1.28 per cent.  

Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 0.59 per cent in early trade, China Shanghai Composite Index too up 0.38 per cent while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.38 per cent.   The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.10 per cent lower yesterday. PTI