China Copper Scrap Rebounds CNY 750/MT as Stainless Turns Higher

Chinese scrap prices moved broadly higher on September 17, led by a CNY 750-per-metric-ton rebound in major clean copper grades. Stainless steel reversed the previous day’s losses, selected aluminum grades added another CNY 50 per MT, and brass/bronze moved higher. Steel remained unchanged.

By Anil Mathews
Published September 18, 2026
Market data: September 17, 2026

BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal prices strengthened across most of the ScrapMonster China Scrap Price Index on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Copper produced the largest move. #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing each gained CNY 750 per metric ton after slipping CNY 50 per MT in the previous session.

Stainless steel also reversed direction, with every listed grade moving higher. Selected aluminum categories extended their recent gains, while brass and bronze turned higher. Steel remained the only major segment with no day-over-day movement.

What Changed From the Previous Session

The sharpest change in tone came from copper and stainless steel. Aluminum maintained the same selective upward pattern seen in the previous two sessions, while steel continued to show no daily movement.

Copper Scrap Prices

Copper scrap recorded broad gains, led by a strong rebound in the major clean grades.

• #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing: ↑ CNY 750/MT each.
• #1 Insulated Copper Wire (85% Recovery): ↑ CNY 350/MT.
• #2 Insulated Copper Wire (50% Recovery): ↑ CNY 100/MT.
• Cu/Al Radiators: ↑ CNY 100/MT.
• Heater Cores: ↑ CNY 300/MT.
• Cu Yokes, Harness Wire (35% Recovery), Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units: ↑ CNY 50/MT each.
• Copper Transformer Scrap: unchanged.

Copper Trend: Losses Narrow, Then Reverse

The September 17 rebound followed three consecutive sessions of declines in the major clean copper grades.

The daily rebound was substantial, but it did not erase the earlier losses accumulated during the week.

Aluminum Scrap Prices

Aluminum remained selective rather than broadly stronger.

• 6063 Extrusions and Aluminum Ingots: ↑ CNY 50/MT each.
• E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet: ↑ CNY 50/MT each.
• Aluminum Radiators and Aluminum Transformers: unchanged.
• Used Beverage Cans (UBC) and Zorba 90% NF: unchanged.

The same five grades—6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet—have now posted CNY 50-per-tonne gains for three consecutive sessions, from September 15 through September 17.

Steel Scrap Prices

Steel remained the most stable part of the China scrap market.

• #1 HMS: unchanged.
• Cast Iron Scrap: unchanged.

Both benchmark grades also remained flat in the preceding sessions, extending the recent run of stable steel scrap pricing.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices

Stainless steel rebounded broadly after declining across most grades on September 16.

• 201 SS: ↑ CNY 50/MT.
• 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning and Shredded SS: ↑ CNY 100/MT each.
• 309 SS and 316 SS Solid: ↑ CNY 100/MT each.
• 310 SS: ↑ CNY 200/MT, the largest stainless move of the session.

The reversal was broad: 304, 309, 310 and 316 grades all moved from losses on September 16 to gains on September 17.

Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices

Brass and bronze moved higher after remaining unchanged in the previous session.

• Brass Radiator: ↑ CNY 50/MT.
• Red Brass: ↑ CNY 100/MT.
• Yellow Brass: ↑ CNY 100/MT.

Market Read

September 17 produced the strongest positive daily tone in China’s scrap market since the start of the week, but the move was not uniform across every metal.

Copper posted the clearest reversal. Major clean grades swung from a CNY 50-per-tonne decline on September 16 to a CNY 750-per-tonne gain one day later. Even after that rebound, the weekly China copper comparison remained lower because of the much larger losses recorded earlier in the reporting period.

Stainless steel also reversed sharply, with all listed grades moving higher after broad declines in the previous session. Aluminum was steadier: five selected grades continued a three-session run of CNY 50-per-tonne gains, while the remaining listed categories stayed unchanged.

Brass and bronze turned higher, while steel once again remained flat. The result was a broadly positive session led by copper, but not a synchronized rise across every grade.