Base metals closed higher in London and gold was on the rise on the spot market today, above US$1,223 an ounce earlier.
"Global financial markets continue to struggle to rally as various geopolitical concerns weigh on investor confidence," Rakuten Securities Australia COO Nick Twidale said in a note, Bloomberg reported.
Metals and mining stocks had closed up 0.74% on London's FTSE100 index yesterday, with Anglo American (LSE: AAL) up 1.55% ahead of its third quarter production results due out later today.
Mining stocks were mixed in Toronto, with the diversified sector gaining 0.42% but gold equities on the S&P/TSX Composite Index sliding 1.46%.
New Gold (TSX: NGD) was down more than 5.9%. It had announced the departure of executive vice president of operations Cory Atiyeh yesterday, the latest in a series of management changes at the streamlined gold miner.
BHP (ASX: BHP) was down 0.8% in afternoon Australian trade as the metals and mining sector on the benchmark S&P/ASX200 lost ground.
Gold miner Resolute Mining (ASX: RSG) was down about 10% at the time of writing after acknowledging "production and associated cost challenges" during the September quarter but maintaining full-year production and cost guidance.