Gold edged up from a four-week low on Friday as the latest twist in tensions between the United States and North Korea prompted investors to seek out the safe-haven asset.

FUNDAMENTALS

* Spot gold was up 0.2 percent at $1,293.70 an ounce at 0042 GMT, after marking its lowest since Aug. 25 at $1287.61 in the previous session.

* U.S. gold futures for December delivery were up 0.1 percent at $1,296.60 an ounce.

* The dollar on Friday eased versus the yen.

* U.S. President Donald Trump ordered new sanctions against North Korea on Thursday and Pyongyang's leader defiantly vowed to persist with its nuclear and missile programmes and said it would consider measures against the United States.

* North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un said in a rare statement on Friday the North will consider the "highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history" against the United States in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to "totally destroy" the North.

Confirm your financial future with best service advantages of Ripples Advisory Private Limited and here we provide best recommendations for you SUBSCRIBE NOW >>http://ripplesadvisory.com/nifty-future.php

* Holdings of SPDR Gold Trust rose 0.73 percent to 852.24 tonnes on Thursday from 846.03 tonnes on Wednesday.

* ICE Benchmark Administration, a unit of Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) , will take over as operator of London's silver benchmark on Oct. 2, a week later than planned, the bourse said on Thursday.