Google Inc. remained the search-engine leader in August, accounting for close to 1 in 4 searches on the Web, a Web metrics firm said Monday.

Google increased its share by 1.2 percent, rising to 37.3 percent from 36.1 percent in the same month a year ago, according to ComScore Networks. Among the top five search engines, Microsoft Corp.'s MSN and Ask Jeeves, which is owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, also increased their market shares, rising to 15.8 percent from 14.4 percent, and 6 percent from 5.9 percent, respectively.

No. 2 Yahoo Inc., dipped nearly 1 percent to 29.7 percent, and the Time Warner Network fell 1 percent to 9.6 percent from 10.6 percent.