COMMODITIES-Gasoline surges on US refinery news; sugar up too

* Gasoline at 3-month high on news Hess refinery to close

* Sugar reaches two-week high on short-covering

* Copper edges higher on better US durable goods data

* Gold little changed as investors await Fed meeting

* Coming up: Jan U.S. consumer confidence data on Tuesday

NEW YORK, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Gasoline hit a near 3-month high on Monday following news that an oil refinery in the U.S. Northeast region will close, while sugar rose to a 2-week top as some speculators with bearish positions on the sweetener bought them back. Copper advanced as better-than-expected U.S. durable goods data lifted confidence about growth and demand in the world's largest economy, although uneasiness about growth in production of the metal kept prices in check. In precious metals, gold was a touch lower as investors took to the sidelines ahead of a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting later in the week. They hope the central bank will provide more details on its monetary easing policy that could lend direction to the safe-haven metal. "Surveying the commodity landscape in general, it seems to us that a number of safe haven refuges, including gold, the Japanese yen, US Treasury bond, and the Swiss Franc, have all been under pressure lately, as investors become more comfortable parking their capital in riskier asset classes like the Euro and equity markets," Edward Meir, analyst at INTL FC Stone, wrote in a commentary on metals. A slew of U.S. economic data due this week, including a reading on consumer confidence for January on Tuesday, could help direction, Meir said.

Grains markets gained slightly on

worries that dry weather will trim output in Argentina, the world's top exporter of soy products and second-largest producer of corn. The Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB Index, a global indicator for commodities, settled up 0.3 percent after 16 of the 19 markets it tracks settled in positive territory. Gasoline and sugar were among the CRB's biggest gainers for the session, rising about 2 percent each.

GASOLINE IN 8-DAY LONG RALLY Gasoline prices have rallied without a stop for nearly two weeks due to concerns about tighter a supply due to refinery maintenance work. Demand ahead of the U.S. summer driving period has added to the market's strength. On Tuesday, the front-month gasoline contract in New York settled at $2.9348 a gallon, after gaining 8 percent over the past eight sessions. Oil prices also rose, with benchmark Brent crude finishing 20 cents up at $113.48 a barrel. The latest run-up came after Hess Corp said it will shut a New Jersey refinery by end of February as part of plans to sell its oil storage terminal network and exit the oil refining business. The planned closure of the 70,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Port Reading raised concerns about dwindling fuel supplies on the U.S. East Coast. Stocks of gasoline on the East Coast are already trailing last year's levels by 10 percent, due to a spate of refinery closures that cut capacity in the region as well in the Caribbean and Europe - major exporters to New York Harbor - as well as supply problems caused by Hurricane Sandy. "The market is pricing in concern about the supply of gasoline this summer and the news about Hess is supporting this," said Stephen Schork, founder and editor of The Schork Report in Philadelphia.

SUGAR UP IN HEFTY VOLUME Raw sugar futures in New York vaulted higher on hefty volume on speculative short-covering, after the large short position in the market had prompted some to unwind their bearish positions. Speculators increased their net short position in sugar to the biggest in seven years on ICE Futures U.S. in the volatile week to Jan. 22, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed on Friday. "The record short on ICE has helped the market move forward," said James Kirkup, director of sugar brokerage at ABN AMRO Markets. The most-active March raw sugar contract on ICE settled up 0.35 cent at 18.73 cents a lb, paring earlier gains after reaching 18.96 cents, its highest level since Jan. 14. Volume was nearly 70 percent above the 30-day norm, preliminary Thomson Reuters data showed. "Potentially there's more to be done," said Michael McDougall, a vice president at Newedge USA, referring to the expectation for more short-covering.

Prices at 4:25 p.m. EST (2125 GMT)

LAST/ NET PCT YTD CLOSE CHG CHG CHG US crude 96.55 0.67 0.7% 5.2% Brent crude 113.49 0.21 0.2% 2.1% Natural gas 3.289 -0.155 -4.5% -1.9%US gold 1652.90 -3.70 -0.2% -1.4% Gold 1655.38 -3.11 -0.2% -1.1% US Copper 366.15 0.95 0.3% 0.2% LME Copper 8050.00 20.00 0.2% 1.5% Dollar 79.804 0.056 0.1% 4.0%US corn 729.25 8.50 1.2% 4.4% US soybeans 1447.75 6.75 0.5% 2.0% US wheat 779.25 2.75 0.4% 0.2%US Coffee 149.00 0.70 0.5% 3.6% US Cocoa 2161.00 -12.00 -0.6% -3.4% US Sugar 18.73 0.35 1.9% -4.0%US silver 30.780 -0.426 -1.4% 1.8% US platinum 1661.20 -32.70 -1.9% 8.0% US palladium 740.55 -0.45 -0.1% 5.3%