North American market futures were looking positive but European futures were pointing to a negative start at the time of writing.
Economic bellwether copper closed up 0.45% on the London Metal Exchange yesterday.
Mining equities gained in London yesterday, led by Glencore's (LSE: GLEN) rise of 3.81%.
In Toronto, junior GoWest Gold (TSXV: GWA) had a good day out, gaining 80.77% as it reported reaching a settlement enabling it to seek a refinancing solution. However its shares remain down 41.25% so far this year.
Turquoise Hill Resources (TSX: TRQ) closed down 4.76% yesterday to C60c, just 2c above a one-year low reached a week earlier.
Its share price has plunged 73% year-to-date as delays and a cost blowout loom at the underground expansion of its flagship asset, a stake in the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in Mongolia.
The metals and mining sector was one of the few in the red in lunchtime trade on the ASX.
BHP (ASX: BHP) was down 0.5% after announcing a record dividend but flat total revenue and profit after tax up by 124%.
The gold stocks on the S&P/ASX200 were off 2% collectively, with Saracen Mineral Holdings (ASX: SAR) down a further 4.58% after yesterday's record results.
The gold price has slid below US$1,500 an ounce to $1,494.45/oz on the spot market and markets are awaiting interest rate clues from US Federal Reserve minutes out this week and a central bank conference at Jackson Hole on Friday.