Chinese CPI data rose less than expected but factory gate prices rose 9% year-on-year, Marex's Alastair Munro noted.
North American markets closed lower yesterday but Australasian markets were up in morning trade.
Mining majors lost ground in London, where Anglo American fell 2.5%.
Freeport-McMoRan was down 1.6% in New York.
Another mining hopeful has made its debut in Toronto this week - Tier One Silver (TSXV: TSLV) closed up 35% to C$1.35 on its first day of trade.
It also announced it had received permission for its inaugural drill programme at its Curibaya silver-gold project in southern Peru and expected drilling to begin later this month.
The company believes Curibaya is the largest undrilled silver project in the world.
