SINGAPORE - Shares snapped a three-day losing streak as the Straits Times Index (STI) closed marginally higher on Wednesday, with investors still staying cautious.

Selected bargain hunting of blue chips helped lift the STI by 4.32 points or 0.14 per cent to 3,198.72.

Some 1.39 billion shares worth $877.5 million were traded.

The top volume counter was shipbuilder Vard Holdings, which saw 78.8 million shares traded. It sank 12.5 cents to 69.5 cents.

Elsewhere, Tokyo rose 0.92 per cent, Hong Kong added 0.4 per cent, Shanghai gained 0.6 per cent and Sydney was up 0.73 per cent.

Seoul declined 0.17 per cent after South Korea's central bank lowered its full-year growth forecast for the country.