Copper Scrap Prices: Weekly Market Report- May 30, 2025
The closing price of LME Copper 3-Month contract stood at USD 9,605.00 per tonne as of May 29, 2025.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):The below report analyses the weekly price trends of scrap copper across various regional markets during the past week (May 23 to May 29, 2025) on the Scrap Monster Price Index.
North America Prices
The copper scrap prices in the region recorded mixed trend, when matched with the week before that. The prices of majority of the commodities edged lower, while the remaining maintained prior week’s price levels.
The biggest decline in prices over the prior week was witnessed in #3 Copper- Light Copper, whose prices edged lower by 4.49% from $4.45 per Lb to $4.25 per Lb. The other copper scrap varieties to record notable dip in prices include #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, which recorded price declines by 4.40% and 4.30% respectively.
The weekly price movement for #3 Copper- Light Copper is shown in the below chart:
The other copper scrap categories to witness decline in prices include #1 Copper Bare Bright, Copper Radiators, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Sealed Units, Scrap Electric Motors, Cu Yokes, Copper Transformer Scrap, Alternator, Xmas Lights and Starters.
The rest of the copper scrap categories held steady on the Index during the week ended May 29, 2025.
USA East Coast Prices
The prices of most copper scrap categories witnessed modest decline in the region. #3 Copper- Light Copper prices posted the biggest decline over the week.
The prices of #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #1 Copper Wire and Tubing also decreased significantly over the week.
The weekly price chart of #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, whose prices edged lower from $4.55 per Lb to $4.35 per Lb, is provided below:
Also, the prices of #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, Copper Radiators, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Sealed Units, Scrap Electric Motors, Cu Yokes, Copper Transformer Scrap, Alternator, Xmas Lights and Starters recorded decline as of the week ended May 29, 2025.
Meanwhile, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiator Ends and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe held steady over the previous week.
USA Midwest Prices
The copper scrap prices in the region witnessed mixed trend, when matched with the week before that. The prices of majority of the commodities edged lower.
The largest dip in prices over the prior week was witnessed in #3 Copper- Light Copper, whose prices edged lower from $4.45 per Lb to $4.25 per Lb. The other copper scrap varieties to record notable decline in prices include #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, which recorded price declines by 4.49% and 4.40% respectively.
The weekly price movement for #1 Copper Wire and Tubing is shown in the below chart:
The prices of #1 Copper Bare Bright, Copper Radiators, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Sealed Units, Scrap Electric Motors, Cu Yokes, Copper Transformer Scrap, Alternator, Xmas Lights and Starters witnessed decrease week-on-week.
USA West Coast Prices
The prices of most copper scrap categories witnessed marginal decline in the region. #3 Copper- Light Copper and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing prices posted the biggest decline over the week. The prices of the above commodities were down by 4.39% and 4.29% respectively over the previous week.
The prices of #1 Copper Wire and Tubing also recorded modest decline over the week, falling by 4.20%.
Also, the prices of #1 Copper Bare Bright, Copper Radiators, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Sealed Units, Scrap Electric Motors, Cu Yokes, Copper Transformer Scrap, Alternator, Xmas Lights and Starters recorded decline during the week.
In contrast, Cu/Al Radiators, Cu/Al Radiator Ends and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe witnessed no change in prices during the previous week.
China Prices
The prices of a few copper scrap commodities recorded increase over the previous week. On the other hand, the rest of the commodities held steady on the Index.
#2 Copper Wire and Tubing prices edged higher by 0.83% week-on-week to close at CNY 72,700 per MT during the week.
The prices of #1 Copper Wire and Tubing also were up by 0.82%, when compared with the week before.
The #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery prices recorded increase, rising from the previous week’s prices by 0.79% as of May 29, 2025.
The other commodities to record increase in prices include #1 Copper Bare Bright, Heater Cores, Cu/Al Radiators, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, and Harness Wire 35% Recovery.
The weekly price chart of Harness Wire 35% Recovery for the week ending May 29, 2025 is given below:
All the other commodities such as Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Scrap Electric Motors, and Sealed Units held steady on the Index.
India Prices
The scrap commodities in Indian market recorded increase, upon comparison with the previous week.
The Copper sheet cutting prices recorded week-on-week increase by 0.95%.
The copper heavy scrap, copper armeture scrap, copper cable scrap and copper utensil scrap prices recorded increase, with the prices of all the above mentioned commodities recording jump by 0.48%. The weekly chart depicting the price movement in Copper heavy scrap is provided below:
Also, the prices of Copper wire bars (HCL *) increased by 0.47% during the week ending May 29, 2025.
Europe Prices
The prices of all copper scrap commodities such as #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, Braziery Copper, Copper Dry Bright, Copper radiators and Copper Tubes held steady during the course of the week.
LME Copper Market Update
The closing price of LME Copper 3-Month contract stood at USD 9,605.00 per tonne as of May 29, 2025. The LME Copper Cash Settlement contract prices decreased marginally from $9,682.00 a day before to $9,641.50 per tonne.
The LME Copper stocks saw marginal decrease over the previous day to close at 152,375 tonnes of May 29, 2025, when compared with 154,300 tonnes a day before.