China Copper Scrap Gains CNY 250/MT as Aluminum Falls Again
Chinese scrap prices remained sharply divided on October 13, with major clean copper grades gaining CNY 250 per metric ton while key aluminum benchmarks fell another CNY 100 per metric ton. Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze were unchanged, leaving copper and aluminum as the two clear directional markets.
By Anil Mathews
Published October 14, 2026
Market data: October 13, 2026
Market at a Glance
- Copper: Major clean grades gained ↑CNY 250/MT.
- Aluminum: Major grades declined ↓CNY 100/MT; selected secondary grades fell CNY 50/MT.
- Brass/Bronze: → Flat across the listed grades.
- Stainless Steel: → Flat after Monday's declines.
- Steel: → Flat across #1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap.
- Since October 7: Major clean copper is up ↑CNY 1,100/MT, while major aluminum is down ↓CNY 400/MT.
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal benchmarks posted another mixed session Tuesday, October 13, according to the ScrapMonster Price Index.
#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire & Tubing and #2 Copper Wire & Tubing each advanced ↑CNY 250/MT.
Aluminum moved in the opposite direction. 6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet each declined ↓CNY 100/MT.
Steel, stainless steel and brass/bronze recorded no daily movement.
Benchmark price move: ScrapMonster reports benchmark market movements. Actual buying and transaction prices can vary by grade, region, volume and individual market conditions.
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The most useful confirmation in Tuesday's market came from China's own futures exchange.
ScrapMonster market data showed SHFE copper rising approximately CNY 260 per tonne on October 13.
The three principal clean copper scrap grades increased CNY 250/MT.
That is a difference of only CNY 10 per tonne.
Aluminum delivered an equally close match in the opposite direction. SHFE aluminum fell approximately CNY 95 per tonne, while 6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet declined CNY 100/MT.
| October 13 Benchmark | Scrap Move | SHFE Move |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | ↑CNY 250/MT | ↑CNY 260/tonne |
| Aluminum | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 95/tonne |
Exchange futures and scrap benchmarks measure different markets and should not be treated as interchangeable. SHFE reflects exchange-traded primary metal contracts, while ScrapMonster tracks secondary-material benchmarks.
But the near one-for-one moves provide strong confirmation that October 13's copper/aluminum divergence extended beyond the scrap market.
The multi-session spread has also become substantial. Since October 7, major clean copper scrap has gained a net CNY 1,100/MT, while the major aluminum grades are down CNY 400/MT.
That represents a CNY 1,500/MT relative swing between the two benchmark groups in just four active sessions.
Copper Scrap Extends Its Advance
Copper again led the positive side of the China scrap market.
| Copper Grade | October 13 Change |
|---|---|
| #1 Copper Bare Bright | ↑CNY 250/MT |
| #1 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑CNY 250/MT |
| #2 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑CNY 250/MT |
| #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery | ↑CNY 100/MT |
| Heater Cores | ↑CNY 50/MT |
| #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery | → Flat |
| Copper Transformer Scrap | → Flat |
| Cu Yokes | → Flat |
| Cu/Al Radiators | → Flat |
Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units also remained unchanged.
Clean Copper Has Added CNY 1,100/MT Since October 7
The recent copper sequence is now large enough to stand out from the daily noise.
| Market Date | Major Clean Copper Move | Running Change Since Oct. 7 |
|---|---|---|
| October 8 | ↑CNY 450/MT | +450 |
| October 9 | → Flat | +450 |
| October 12 | ↑CNY 400/MT | +850 |
| October 13 | ↑CNY 250/MT | +1,100 |
The sequence shows three sizeable increases separated by only one flat session.
That makes copper the clearest upward-moving scrap category in China during the post-holiday period.
Aluminum Scrap Falls for a Second Straight Session
Aluminum prices moved lower again after Monday's broader decline.
| Aluminum Grade | Oct. 13 Move | Net Since Oct. 7 |
|---|---|---|
| 6063 Extrusions | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 400/MT |
| Aluminum Ingots | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 400/MT |
| E.C. Aluminum Wire | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 400/MT |
| Old Cast | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 400/MT |
| Old Sheet | ↓CNY 100/MT | ↓CNY 400/MT |
| Aluminum Radiators | ↓CNY 50/MT | ↓CNY 150/MT |
| Aluminum Transformers | ↓CNY 50/MT | ↓CNY 150/MT |
| UBC | ↓CNY 50/MT | ↓CNY 150/MT |
| Zorba 90% NF | ↓CNY 50/MT | ↓CNY 150/MT |
The larger aluminum grades are now down a net CNY 400/MT from October 7 after falling CNY 450/MT on October 8, recovering CNY 300/MT on October 9, then losing CNY 150/MT on October 12 and another CNY 100/MT on October 13.
The October 9 rebound has therefore been more than fully reversed.
SHFE Aluminum Confirms the Downward Move
ScrapMonster's October 13 SHFE data showed aluminum at approximately CNY 23,520 per tonne, down ↓CNY 95/tonne.
That compares with the ↓CNY 100/MT adjustment in the principal aluminum scrap benchmarks.
The close alignment gives the latest physical scrap decline additional market context without implying that one benchmark mechanically determines the other.
Stainless Steel Pauses After Monday's Declines
Stainless steel scrap prices stabilized Tuesday after selected grades weakened on October 12.
201 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning and 309 SS all remained → Flat.
310 SS, 316 SS Solid and Shredded Stainless Steel also recorded no day-over-day movement.
The pause leaves Monday's declines intact rather than reversing them.
Measured from October 7, 304 SS Solid and 304 Turning remain down CNY 100/MT, while 309 SS and 316 SS Solid are down CNY 200/MT and 310 SS is down CNY 300/MT.
Brass and Bronze Hold Monday's Gains
Chinese brass and bronze scrap prices were unchanged Tuesday.
Red Brass, Yellow Brass and Brass Radiator all remained → Flat.
Red and Yellow Brass had gained CNY 50/MT on October 12 after increasing CNY 100/MT on October 8.
Both grades therefore remain approximately CNY 150/MT above their October 7 benchmarks.
Steel Scrap Remains the Stable Category
Ferrous scrap prices again showed no movement.
| Steel Grade | October 13 |
|---|---|
| #1 HMS | → Flat |
| Cast Iron Scrap | → Flat |
#1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap have remained unaffected by the recent volatility across copper, aluminum and stainless steel.
China and North America Sent Opposite Copper Signals
October 13 also produced an interesting regional split.
China's principal clean copper scrap grades rose ↑CNY 250/MT.
On the same market date, major North American clean copper benchmarks fell ↓2¢/lb.
The divergence is a reminder that scrap benchmarks are regional and can reflect different exchange relationships, inventories, buying conditions and local physical-market dynamics.
One day's divergence does not establish a lasting regional trend, but it makes the next China and North American price assessments particularly useful to watch.
What to Watch Next
Copper follow-through: Major clean grades have now gained CNY 1,100/MT since October 7. Another rise would extend the strongest current trend in China's scrap market.
Aluminum weakness: The major grades have fallen a net CNY 400/MT over the same period, and Friday's rebound has now been completely erased.
SHFE alignment: Scrap copper and aluminum almost perfectly mirrored their respective SHFE moves Tuesday. Continued alignment would strengthen the broader benchmark signal.
North America divergence: Chinese copper moved higher on October 13 while North American clean copper slipped. Watch whether the regional split persists or closes in the next session.
Stainless: Tuesday's flat session halted, but did not reverse, the recent decline in several stainless grades.
Steel: #1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap remain the most stable benchmarks in the current China price sequence.
ScrapMonster Market Read: October 13 reinforced the increasingly clear split inside China's scrap market. Copper continues to reprice higher, aluminum is moving the other way, and the futures market is confirming both directions almost point for point. Since October 7, the main clean copper benchmarks have gained CNY 1,100/MT while the largest aluminum grades have fallen CNY 400/MT — a CNY 1,500/MT relative swing. Stainless has paused after recent losses, brass is holding modest gains and steel remains unchanged. For traders, the important signal is no longer simply that the market is “mixed”; it is that different metal groups are developing distinct short-term trends.
Sources: ScrapMonster Price Index; ScrapMonster SHFE market data.