"Object potentially ballistic missile possibly launched from North Korea," Japan's coast guard warned hours ago.
North Korea's ballistic missiles are banned under United Nations Security Council Resolutions and if the launch is confirmed, it would represent a new challenge to US president Joe Biden's efforts to engage with Pyongyang, Reuters reported.
The gold price was marginally higher than this point yesterday on the spot market, at US$1,734 an ounce.
Nickel closed higher on the London Metal Exchange following Glencore's news this week that its Murrin Murrin nickel-cobalt operation in Western Australia was operating at a reduced capacity due to a failure in one of two acid plant fans.
Glencore gained 2.26% in London and Anglo American was up a similar amount.
Elsewhere, gold major Barrick Gold closed down 0.6% in Toronto while in New York, copper miner Freeport-McMoRan closed down 1.83% despite declaring a cash dividend.
