SCRAPMONSTER PREMIUM | MONTHLY MARKET INTELLIGENCE
October 2026 North American Scrap Market Intelligence
Complete grade-level month-end and observed monthly prices across Copper, Aluminum, Brass/Bronze, Stainless Steel, Steel, Lead and Zinc, with historical momentum and documented industry context.
By Carolina Curiel | Month-end benchmark comparison: September 30–October 30, 2026 | 22 October assessment sessions
October Executive Summary
Ferrous: #1 Bundle and #1 Busheling +$20/MT; #1 HMS and Shredded Auto Scrap +$15/MT.
Copper: Bare Bright and key clean copper grades −15¢/lb.
Aluminum: E.C. Wire and 5052 Scrap −4¢/lb.
Stainless: 330 SS +3¢/lb while 301 SS −2¢/lb.
Lead and zinc: month-end endpoints unchanged.
All seven representative grades below remained above their year-earlier benchmarks, although monthly and 13-week momentum varied. Grade-level movement percentages should not be treated as weighted category indexes.
Historical Momentum: Seven Representative Grades
| Benchmark | October | 13 weeks | Y/Y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bare Bright Copper | -2.30% | -0.62% | +27.20% |
| E.C. Aluminum Wire | -2.80% | -4.14% | +7.75% |
| Yellow Brass | -0.55% | +1.41% | +20.88% |
| 304 SS Solid | -1.47% | +3.08% | +8.06% |
| #1 HMS | +4.35% | 0.00% | +14.29% |
| Solid Lead | 0.00% | +4.00% | +11.43% |
| New Zinc Die Cast | 0.00% | +9.20% | +15.85% |
October: September 30–October 30, 2026. Thirteen weeks: July 31–October 30. Y/Y: October 30, 2025–October 30, 2026. Actual absolute levels appear in the detailed Premium tables below.
Exchange Benchmarks and International Ferrous Snapshots
| Instrument | Start | End | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| COMEX December 2026 copper (HGZ6), historical close | $6.6215/lb Sep. 30 | $6.4820/lb Oct. 30 | −2.11% |
| LME three-month copper, offer | $14,455/MT | $14,250/MT | −1.42% |
| LME three-month aluminum, offer | $3,210/MT | $3,080/MT | −4.05% |
| LME three-month nickel, offer | $16,060/MT | $15,425/MT | −3.95% |
| LME three-month lead, offer | $1,890/MT | $1,920/MT | +1.59% |
| LME three-month zinc, offer | $3,842/MT | $3,890/MT | +1.25% |
COMEX figures are December 2026 futures historical closes, not official settlements. LME figures are three-month offer assessments. Each is separate from the ScrapMonster physical scrap buying benchmark. LME September 30; LME October 30; COMEX futures history.
| LME M2 ferrous contract (Platts) | Oct. 1 | Oct. 29 |
|---|---|---|
| Steel Scrap CFR Turkey | $397.50/MT | $401.50/MT |
| Steel Rebar FOB Turkey | $610/MT | $600/MT |
The M2 quotations are snapshots on separate dates, not same-fixed-delivery-month comparisons. The two periods should not be presented as a continuous futures return.
ScrapMonster Edge: The Monthly Price Divide
October’s steel gains coincided with stronger U.S. industrial indicators and firm producer pricing: AISI reported estimated U.S. steel output 19.2% above a year earlier in the week ended October 31 and SteelPrices documented Nucor’s $15/short-ton HRC increase. Copper and aluminum benchmarks moved lower despite copper supply disruption reporting and earlier growth in U.S. aluminum scrap imports. The combined evidence supports a split market rather than a single cause.
Complete October Grade-Level Assessment Tables
The following assessments retain their original USD/lb or USD/metric-tonne units. The September 30 and October 30 prices are point observations; October mean, high and low use all 22 available October assessment dates. Means are unweighted daily assessment averages, not transacted-volume averages.
Copper —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Copper Bare Bright | USD/Lb | 6.51 | 6.36 | -0.15 | -2.30% | 6.50 | 6.30 | 6.65 |
| #1 Copper Wire and Tubing | USD/Lb | 6.41 | 6.26 | -0.15 | -2.34% | 6.40 | 6.20 | 6.55 |
| #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery | USD/Lb | 3.23 | 3.20 | -0.03 | -0.93% | 3.23 | 3.18 | 3.26 |
| #2 Copper Wire and Tubing | USD/Lb | 6.31 | 6.16 | -0.15 | -2.38% | 6.30 | 6.10 | 6.45 |
| #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery | USD/Lb | 3.07 | 3.05 | -0.02 | -0.65% | 3.07 | 3.03 | 3.10 |
| #3 Copper - Light Copper | USD/Lb | 6.21 | 6.06 | -0.15 | -2.42% | 6.20 | 6.00 | 6.35 |
| Alternator | USD/Lb | 0.59 | 0.61 | +0.02 | +3.39% | 0.60 | 0.59 | 0.61 |
| Copper Radiators | USD/Lb | 4.39 | 4.30 | -0.09 | -2.05% | 4.38 | 4.30 | 4.44 |
| Copper Transformer Scrap | USD/Lb | 0.64 | 0.64 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.64 | 0.64 | 0.65 |
| Cu Yokes | USD/Lb | 1.48 | 1.49 | +0.01 | +0.68% | 1.50 | 1.48 | 1.51 |
| Cu/Al Radiator Ends | USD/Lb | 0.70 | 0.70 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.70 |
| Cu/Al Radiators | USD/Lb | 3.35 | 3.35 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 |
| Cu/Al Radiators /Fe | USD/Lb | 3.09 | 3.09 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 3.09 | 3.09 | 3.09 |
| Harness Wire 35% Recovery | USD/Lb | 2.93 | 2.92 | -0.01 | -0.34% | 2.94 | 2.89 | 2.96 |
| Heater Cores | USD/Lb | 2.72 | 2.72 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 2.74 | 2.71 | 2.75 |
| Romex® Wire | USD/Lb | 3.20 | 3.18 | -0.02 | -0.62% | 3.21 | 3.16 | 3.24 |
| Scrap Electric Motors | USD/Lb | 0.63 | 0.65 | +0.02 | +3.17% | 0.64 | 0.63 | 0.65 |
| Sealed Units | USD/Lb | 0.61 | 0.63 | +0.02 | +3.28% | 0.62 | 0.61 | 0.63 |
| Starters | USD/Lb | 0.61 | 0.63 | +0.02 | +3.28% | 0.62 | 0.61 | 0.63 |
| Xmas Lights | USD/Lb | 0.39 | 0.39 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0.40 |
Aluminum —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 Scrap | USD/Lb | 0.94 | 0.92 | -0.02 | -2.13% | 0.92 | 0.90 | 0.94 |
| 3003 Scrap | USD/Lb | 0.94 | 0.92 | -0.02 | -2.13% | 0.92 | 0.90 | 0.94 |
| 356 Aluminum Wheels (Clean) | USD/Lb | 0.94 | 0.92 | -0.02 | -2.13% | 0.92 | 0.90 | 0.94 |
| 5052 Scrap | USD/Lb | 1.23 | 1.19 | -0.04 | -3.25% | 1.19 | 1.17 | 1.22 |
| 6061 Extrusions | USD/Lb | 0.83 | 0.81 | -0.02 | -2.41% | 0.81 | 0.79 | 0.83 |
| 6063 Extrusions | USD/Lb | 1.02 | 1.00 | -0.02 | -1.96% | 1.00 | 0.98 | 1.02 |
| 6063 Extrusions/Fe | USD/Lb | 0.79 | 0.77 | -0.02 | -2.53% | 0.77 | 0.75 | 0.79 |
| Al/Cu Radiators | USD/Lb | 3.35 | 3.35 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 3.35 | 3.35 | 3.35 |
| Al/Cu Radiators /Fe | USD/Lb | 3.09 | 3.09 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 3.09 | 3.09 | 3.09 |
| Aluminum Radiators | USD/Lb | 0.36 | 0.35 | -0.01 | -2.78% | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.36 |
| Aluminum Radiators /Fe | USD/Lb | 0.24 | 0.24 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.24 | 0.24 | 0.24 |
| Aluminum Transformers | USD/Lb | 0.22 | 0.22 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.22 | 0.22 | 0.22 |
| Breakage 50% Recovery | USD/Lb | 0.56 | 0.57 | +0.01 | +1.79% | 0.56 | 0.56 | 0.57 |
| Chrome Wheels | USD/Lb | 0.86 | 0.84 | -0.02 | -2.33% | 0.84 | 0.82 | 0.86 |
| E.C. Aluminum Wire | USD/Lb | 1.43 | 1.39 | -0.04 | -2.80% | 1.38 | 1.35 | 1.42 |
| Litho Sheets | USD/Lb | 0.95 | 0.93 | -0.02 | -2.11% | 0.93 | 0.91 | 0.95 |
| MLC Clips | USD/Lb | 0.93 | 0.91 | -0.02 | -2.15% | 0.91 | 0.89 | 0.93 |
| Mixed Aluminum Turnings | USD/Lb | 0.65 | 0.65 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.64 | 0.63 | 0.66 |
| Old Cast | USD/Lb | 0.89 | 0.87 | -0.02 | -2.25% | 0.87 | 0.85 | 0.89 |
| Old Sheet | USD/Lb | 0.89 | 0.87 | -0.02 | -2.25% | 0.87 | 0.85 | 0.89 |
| Painted Siding | USD/Lb | 0.91 | 0.89 | -0.02 | -2.20% | 0.89 | 0.87 | 0.91 |
| UBC | USD/Lb | 0.90 | 0.88 | -0.02 | -2.22% | 0.88 | 0.86 | 0.90 |
| Zorba 90% NF | USD/Lb | 0.83 | 0.81 | -0.02 | -2.41% | 0.81 | 0.79 | 0.83 |
Brass/Bronze —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70/30 Brass Scrap | USD/Lb | 3.61 | 3.59 | -0.02 | -0.55% | 3.61 | 3.57 | 3.64 |
| 80/20 Brass Scrap | USD/Lb | 3.86 | 3.84 | -0.02 | -0.52% | 3.86 | 3.82 | 3.89 |
| 85/15 Brass Scrap | USD/Lb | 4.11 | 4.09 | -0.02 | -0.49% | 4.11 | 4.07 | 4.14 |
| Brass Radiator | USD/Lb | 3.51 | 3.49 | -0.02 | -0.57% | 3.51 | 3.47 | 3.54 |
| Brass Radiator /Fe | USD/Lb | 0.74 | 0.73 | -0.01 | -1.35% | 0.74 | 0.73 | 0.75 |
| Brass Radiator Ends | USD/Lb | 0.33 | 0.33 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 |
| Red Brass | USD/Lb | 3.76 | 3.74 | -0.02 | -0.53% | 3.76 | 3.72 | 3.79 |
| Rod Borings | USD/Lb | 3.51 | 3.49 | -0.02 | -0.57% | 3.51 | 3.47 | 3.54 |
| Yellow Brass | USD/Lb | 3.61 | 3.59 | -0.02 | -0.55% | 3.61 | 3.57 | 3.64 |
Stainless Steel —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 201 SS | USD/Lb | 0.20 | 0.20 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.20 | 0.19 | 0.20 |
| 301 SS | USD/Lb | 0.43 | 0.41 | -0.02 | -4.65% | 0.42 | 0.40 | 0.43 |
| 304 SS Solid | USD/Lb | 0.68 | 0.67 | -0.01 | -1.47% | 0.67 | 0.65 | 0.68 |
| 304 SS Turning | USD/Lb | 0.58 | 0.57 | -0.01 | -1.72% | 0.57 | 0.55 | 0.58 |
| 309 SS | USD/Lb | 0.87 | 0.88 | +0.01 | +1.15% | 0.88 | 0.86 | 0.89 |
| 310 SS | USD/Lb | 1.17 | 1.19 | +0.02 | +1.71% | 1.19 | 1.16 | 1.21 |
| 316 SS Solid | USD/Lb | 0.86 | 0.87 | +0.01 | +1.16% | 0.87 | 0.85 | 0.88 |
| 330 SS | USD/Lb | 1.79 | 1.82 | +0.03 | +1.68% | 1.82 | 1.78 | 1.85 |
Steel —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Bundle | USD/MT | 430.00 | 450.00 | +20.00 | +4.65% | 441.36 | 430.00 | 450.00 |
| #1 Busheling | USD/MT | 450.00 | 470.00 | +20.00 | +4.44% | 461.36 | 450.00 | 470.00 |
| #1 HMS | USD/MT | 345.00 | 360.00 | +15.00 | +4.35% | 350.45 | 345.00 | 360.00 |
| HMS 80/20 | USD/MT | 290.00 | 300.00 | +10.00 | +3.45% | 293.64 | 290.00 | 300.00 |
| Sheet Metal | USD/MT | 255.00 | 265.00 | +10.00 | +3.92% | 258.64 | 255.00 | 265.00 |
| Shredded Auto Scrap | USD/MT | 410.00 | 425.00 | +15.00 | +3.66% | 415.45 | 410.00 | 425.00 |
| Structural Steel | USD/MT | 345.00 | 360.00 | +15.00 | +4.35% | 350.45 | 345.00 | 360.00 |
Lead —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead Wheel Weights | USD/Lb | 0.33 | 0.33 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.33 | 0.33 | 0.33 |
| Lead-Solid Lead | USD/Lb | 0.78 | 0.78 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.78 | 0.78 | 0.78 |
| Range Lead-Bullets that have been fired | USD/Lb | 0.55 | 0.55 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.55 | 0.55 | 0.55 |
| Scrap Auto Batteries | USD/Lb | 0.35 | 0.35 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.35 | 0.35 | 0.35 |
| Soft Lead | USD/Lb | 0.81 | 0.81 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.81 | 0.81 | 0.81 |
Zinc —
| Grade | Unit | Sep 30 | Oct 30 | Change | Change % | October mean | Oct low | Oct high |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zinc Die Cast | USD/Lb | 0.95 | 0.95 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.94 | 0.94 | 0.95 |
| Old Zinc Die Cast | USD/Lb | 0.88 | 0.88 | +0.00 | +0.00% | 0.87 | 0.87 | 0.88 |
Market Context and Operational Interpretation
The October ISM Manufacturing PMI rose to 55.5, while the Bank of Canada’s October Monetary Policy Report noted persistent energy, import-cost and trade-policy risks. September worldsteel production data provide an additional, earlier-period indication of steelmaking activity. These indicators should inform the purchasing conversation, not replace verified grade-specific benchmarks.
November Market Watch
| Date | Release or operational focus |
|---|---|
| Nov. 10 | U.S. October CPI; dollar and exchange benchmark sensitivity |
| Nov. 13 | U.S. PPI; industrial input costs |
| Nov. 17 | U.S. import/export prices; trade costs |
| Nov. 20 | U.S. state employment; industrial demand context |
| Nov. 26 | Thanksgiving; confirm logistics and trading schedules |
| Throughout November | Steel mill buying cycles, AISI weekly output, copper and aluminum exchanges |
U.S. release calendar: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Conclusion
The month strengthened ferrous benchmark buying prices while leaving major nonferrous grades weaker. The important business distinction is between a sustained advance and a short-term adjustment: #1 HMS finished October higher but unchanged over 13 weeks; copper fell for the month yet remained significantly higher year-over-year. Premium historical comparisons allow buyers and processors to examine those differences at the exact grade level.
Methodology: matched North American grade/region endpoints, no interpolation. October mean, low and high reflect 22 dated October assessments. No September full-month assessment average is included, so this report does not claim month-over-month changes in average prices. Grade IDs and units are preserved from the internal export.