Daily Gold Update

Source: Marketwatch

San Francisco— Gold futures rose above $680 an ounce Friday to close at their highest level in three weeks, ending the month with a modest gain as traders digested comments from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as well as upbeat U.S. economy figures on consumer income and spending.

Gold for December delivery rose $8 to close at $681.90 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It touched a high of $683.90, a level the contract hasn't seen since August 10. The contract ended the week with a gain of $4.40 after closing out last week at $677.50. It's up 0.4% from the July 31 closing level of $679.30. See full story.