Gold hits fresh 2-mth high after jump in New York

TOKYO, Nov 6 (Reuters) Gold rose to a fresh two-month high on Monday on follow-up buying after strong gains in New York on Friday, with Japanese participants buying actively on their return from a three-day weekend.

-- As of 0104 GMT, spot gold was trading higher at $628.75/629.50 an ounce, up from $627.50/628.50 late in New York on Friday.

-- The cash price briefly reached $629.40, the highest since Sept. 7.

-- Investment funds and investors were buying gold based on its healthy technical trend, while ignoring a recovery in the dollar since Friday and general weakness in energy prices.

-- Gold has gained over 5 percent in the last week. It was also about 4 percent above the 200-day moving average of $605.

-- In Japan, the benchmark Tokyo Commodity Exchange gold contract for October 2007 delivery rose by the daily 60 yen limit to 2,412 yen a gram. It was up 2.6 percent from 2,352 yen on Thursday.

-- Japanese markets were closed for a public holiday on Friday.

-- Platinum was little changed at $1,196/1,204 an ounce compared with $1,198/1,204 in New York.

-- Key TOCOM platinum futures rose by the daily 100 yen limit to 4,196 yen a gram.

-- Palladium jumped to $335/340 an ounce from $328/333 in New York.

-- Silver rose to $12.64/12.69 an ounce from $12.58/12.64 late in New York.

Reuters SBA VP0725