MUMBAI: The benchmark BSE Sensex rose over 77 points in early trade today on sustained buying by investors ahead of the Reserve Bank's monetary policy review amid better-than-expected Q1 earnings by Hero MotoCorp.

The 30-share index, which had gained 727.83 points in the previous four sessions, rose 77.66 points, or 0.27%, to 28,264.72, with realty, auto, consumer durables and oil & gas sector stocks leading the rise.

On similar lines, the NSE Nifty was up 22.10 points, or 0.25%, at 8,565.15.

Brokers said sustained buying by funds and retail investors ahead of RBI's monetary policy to be announced later in the day, influenced market sentiment.

Stocks of two-wheeler market leader Hero MotoCorp climbed 2.51% to Rs 2,765.70 after the company yesterday reported a 33.33% rise in net profit at Rs 750.34 crore for the June quarter.

They said, however, a weak trend at other Asian markets in line with overnight losses at US markets capped the gains in the domestic market.

In Asia, Japan's Nikkei was trading lower 0.42% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 0.31% in early trade today.

The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.52% lower in Monday's trade.