SINGAPORE, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Singapore stocks closed higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Straits Times Index (STI), up 0.86 percent or 29.75 points, to close at 3,480.44.

A total of 1.98 billion shares changed hands with a turnover of 1.13 billion Singapore dollars (about 860.9 million U.S. dollars). Gainers outnumbered losers by 279 to 138.

The STI index closed down 1.18 percent or 41.23 points to close at 3,450.69 Wednesday.