The gains came as North American markets closed higher yesterday as trade war fears eased, but London's FTSE100 had closed slightly lower as tensions between Russia and Europe continued.

In Australia, nickel miner Western Areas (AU:WSA) was the top mover on the benchmark S&P/ASX200 today, gaining 9.3%.

The move followed Macquarie raising its price target for the stock after annual nickel price forecasts lifted 6% for both 2018 and 2019, Bloomberg reported.

Fellow ASX-listed miner, the diversified Independence Group (AU:IGO), rose 5.4% as it presented to a battery conference.

The metals and mining sector in the S&P500 closed up 2.03%, but fell 0.91% in London, however  precious metals miner Fresnillo (LN:FRES) rose 4.55% after an upgrade from Goldman Sachs.

Meanwhile the S&P/TSX Composite Index's metals and mining sector was up 0.99% yesterday.

First Quantum Minerals (CN:FM) was up 4.61% in Toronto as it announced industrial action at Cobre Panama had been resolved.

It expected the return to work process to take place over the next two to three weeks.