Taiwan's share prices closed slightly higher Wednesday with the weighted index, the market's key barometer, edging up 8.49 points, or 0.1 percent, to close at 7,779.08. The local bourse opened at 7,797.7 and fluctuated between a range of 7,803.27 and 7,736.7 during the day's trading. Market turnover totaled NT$85.35 billion (US$2.67 billion), down from the previous day's NT$86.23 billion. Four of the eight major stock categories lost ground, with foodstuff and paper and pulp stocks both dropping 0.27 percent. Plastics and chemical stocks lost 0.14 percent and machinery and electronic shares moved down 0.03 percent. Three categories gained ground, with banking and financial stocks rising 0.72 percent, textile issues advancing 0.67 percent and cement issues gaining 0.04 percent. Construction issues remained unchanged. Losers outnumbered gainers 1,436 to 1,357, with 386 remaining unchanged. Foreign investors and Chinese QDIIs were net buyers of NT$6.26 billion in shares. 