NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- December gold futures rose early on Friday, receiving a lift from weakness in the dollar following upbeat European economic data and ahead of a speech by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. December gold futures were last up $17.20, or 1.8%, at $958.80 an ounce in electronic trading. The Fed chairman will speak at the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank's annual retreat in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Also ahead will be U.S. existing home sales data for July due out at 10 a.m. Eastern.