Copper Scrap Rebounds 8¢/Lb as North American Prices Move Higher
North American scrap buying benchmarks opened the week on a firmer note October 5, led by an 8¢/lb rebound in major clean copper grades. Brass and bronze also advanced, while aluminum was largely unchanged except for a 1¢/lb increase in E.C. Aluminum Wire. Steel and stainless steel remained flat.
By Carolina Curiel
Published October 6, 2026
Market data: October 5, 2026
Report Highlights
- Copper: #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, and #3 Copper-Light Copper each gained 8¢/lb.
- Aluminum: Most grades were unchanged; E.C. Aluminum Wire rose 1¢/lb.
- Brass/Bronze: Major grades including Red Brass and Yellow Brass advanced 2¢/lb.
- Steel: All listed ferrous scrap grades remained unchanged.
- Stainless Steel: All tracked grades held steady after Friday's mixed session.
- Benchmark check: COMEX and LME copper also moved higher on October 5, directionally matching the scrap rebound.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal buying benchmarks moved broadly higher on Monday, October 5, 2026, as copper and brass/bronze rebounded on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
Copper delivered the strongest move of the session. Major clean grades rose 8¢/lb, more than reversing the 6¢/lb decline recorded on October 1 before prices paused Friday.
Brass and bronze also turned higher, with most major grades gaining 2¢/lb.
Aluminum remained far quieter. E.C. Aluminum Wire rose 1¢/lb, while every other tracked aluminum grade was unchanged.
Steel and stainless steel recorded no movement.
| Metal | October 5 Move | Market Read |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | ▲ Up to 8¢/lb | Strongest rebound of the session |
| Aluminum | ▲ Up to 1¢/lb | Only E.C. Aluminum Wire moved |
| Brass/Bronze | ▲ Up to 2¢/lb | Broad gains across major grades |
| Stainless Steel | → Flat | Friday's mixed moves did not extend |
| Steel | → Flat | Ferrous benchmarks remain stable |
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
Copper's Monday rebound did more than offset Thursday's selloff. Major clean grades fell 6¢/lb on October 1, held steady October 2 and then gained 8¢/lb on October 5. Brass followed a similar pattern on a smaller scale. Aluminum has been slower to recover, with only E.C. Aluminum Wire moving higher Monday.
Copper Scrap Prices
Copper led the October 5 advance, with gains extending well beyond the clean copper grades.
#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #3 Copper-Light Copper each increased 8¢/lb.
#1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery each gained 2¢/lb.
Copper Radiator Scrap advanced 3¢/lb, while Cu Yokes edged 1¢/lb higher.
Harness Wire 35% Recovery and Romex Wire each increased 3¢/lb. Heater Cores rose 2¢/lb.
Alternator Scrap, Copper Transformer Scrap, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Sealed Units, Xmas Lights, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe were unchanged.
COPPER BENCHMARK CHECK
The exchange market moved in the same direction. COMEX copper rose from $6.579/lb on October 2 to $6.64/lb on October 5, an increase of approximately 6.1¢/lb or 0.93%. LME three-month copper increased from $14,320/MT to $14,366/MT. Exchange futures and physical scrap are different markets, but Monday's directional alignment was clear.
Three-Session Copper Read
The latest move is particularly notable when viewed against the previous two sessions.
Major clean copper benchmarks fell 6¢/lb on October 1, recorded no change on October 2 and then gained 8¢/lb on October 5.
That leaves those grades 2¢/lb above their September 30 benchmark after three sessions of unusually sharp movement.
The sequence points to a rapid repricing rather than a steady one-direction trend: a significant decline, a one-session pause and then a larger rebound.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
Aluminum remained largely disconnected from the broader non-ferrous rebound.
E.C. Aluminum Wire was the only listed grade to move, increasing 1¢/lb.
The gain partially reversed recent weakness. E.C. Aluminum Wire had fallen 2¢/lb on October 1 and another 1¢/lb on October 2 before Monday's 1¢ rebound.
5052 Scrap, 6063 Extrusions, 1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6061 Extrusions and 6063 Extrusions/Fe were unchanged.
Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, MLC Clips, Old Cast, UBC, Old Sheet, Painted Siding and Zorba 90% NF also held steady.
Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers, Mixed Aluminum Turnings and Breakage 50% Recovery recorded no change.
ALUMINUM READ
The 1¢/lb recovery in E.C. Aluminum Wire did not signal a broad aluminum rebound. Every other tracked grade remained unchanged, leaving aluminum considerably quieter than copper and brass during the session.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
Brass and bronze moved higher across most listed grades.
70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator each gained 2¢/lb.
Red Brass, Red Borings and Yellow Brass also increased 2¢/lb.
Brass Radiator/Fe rose 1¢/lb, while Brass Radiator Ends remained unchanged.
The gains followed a flat October 2 session and more than reversed the 1¢/lb declines recorded in most major brass grades on October 1.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Stainless steel returned to a completely flat session after posting mixed moves on Friday.
201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid and 304 SS Turning recorded no day-over-day variation.
309 SS, 316 SS Solid, 310 SS and 330 SS were also unchanged.
The stabilization followed Friday's split market, when 301 SS and the 304 grades had moved lower while several higher-alloy grades advanced.
Steel Scrap Prices
Steel scrap benchmarks remained unchanged across the board.
#1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS, HMS 80/20 and Sheet Metal all held steady.
Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel also recorded no movement.
The continued stability extends the flat trend across the principal North American ferrous scrap benchmarks into the new week.
Market Read
October 5 marked a clear improvement in the North American non-ferrous scrap picture, but the rebound was concentrated rather than universal.
Copper was the dominant move. Major clean grades gained 8¢/lb and more than recovered their October 1 decline. The broader copper benchmark market moved in the same direction, with both COMEX and LME copper higher Monday.
Brass also rebounded across most major grades, consistent with the stronger tone in copper-containing material.
Aluminum was far less responsive. E.C. Aluminum Wire recovered 1¢/lb, but all other tracked grades remained unchanged.
Steel and stainless steel stayed flat, leaving the session's positive momentum almost entirely concentrated in copper and brass/bronze.
For buyers and sellers, the latest three-session sequence is an important reminder that the current market remains capable of rapid benchmark adjustments. Copper moved from a sharp decline to a complete pause and then an even larger rebound in just three sessions.
Benchmark buying-price move • Exact live price levels are available to ScrapMonster Premium members. Local quotes vary by grade and location.