Chinese Scrap Metal Prices See Broad Decline on the Index – August 18, 2026

Daily Scrap Metal Price Report | 2026-08-19 11:50:03 | By Anil Mathews

Copper scrap prices on the ScrapMonster Price Index declined across multiple categories on the Index, compared with the previous day.

Summary

Copper Prices: Copper scrap recorded the steepest declines, with #1 Copper Bare Bright and wire/tubing grades falling by CNY 1,900 per MT.
Aluminum & Steel: Aluminum scrap prices remained unchanged across major grades, while #1 HMS and Cast Iron scrap also held steady.
Other Metals: Stainless steel prices edged lower, while brass and bronze scrap prices declined, led by drops in red and yellow brass.

Chinese Scrap Metal Prices Post Marked Decline on August 18, 2026

Copper scrap led broad losses across China's nonferrous markets, while aluminum and steel held steady and stainless steel and brass/bronze edged lower.

BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal prices posted a marked decline on the ScrapMonster Price Index as of Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

What Readers Should Know

Copper scrap prices fell sharply, with top grades down CNY 1,900 per MT.
Aluminum scrap prices were flat across all tracked categories.
Steel scrap (#1 HMS and Cast Iron) showed no change.
Stainless steel declined slightly, with 309/310/316 SS down CNY 50 per MT.
Brass/Bronze weakened, led by Red and Yellow Brass losses of CNY 300 per MT.
All figures reflect the ScrapMonster China Price Index as of August 18, 2026.

Why Prices Moved

Copper scrap prices on the ScrapMonster Price Index declined across multiple categories compared with the previous day, driving the broader market lower. Aluminum and steel scrap prices held steady, while stainless steel and brass/bronze recorded modest declines.

Copper Scrap Prices

Copper scrap prices on the ScrapMonster Price Index declined across multiple categories on the Index, compared with the previous day.

#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing: down by CNY 1,900 per MT each
#1 Insulated Copper Wire (85% Recovery): fell by CNY 950 per MT
#2 Insulated Copper Wire (50% Recovery), Cu/Al Radiators: dropped by CNY 350 per MT
Copper Transformer Scrap, Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units: saw declines by CNY 50 per MT on the Index
Cu Yokes, Harness Wire (35% Recovery): decreased by CNY 100 per MT
Heater Cores: dropped by CNY 800 per MT on the Index

Aluminum Scrap Prices

Aluminum scrap prices on the ScrapMonster Price Index witnessed no change, reflecting a steady market.

6063 Aluminum Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, Aluminum Radiators and Aluminum Transformers: Held steady
E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast Aluminum, Old Sheet Aluminum, Used Beverage Cans (UBC) and Zorba 90% INF: posted no variation in prices

Steel Scrap Prices

#1 HMS prices held steady on the Index.

Cast Iron Scrap reported no change in prices.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices

Stainless steel scrap prices on the ScrapMonster Price Index registered a slight decline across select grades.

201 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, Shred SS: witnessed no change in prices
309 SS, 310 SS, and 316 SS Solid: declined by CNY 50 per MT on the Index

Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices

The Brass/Bronze Scrap prices in China recorded a decline when compared with the previous day's prices.

Brass Radiator: Dipped by CNY 200 per MT
Red Brass, Yellow Brass: Down by CNY 300 per MT

What Happens Next

Market participants will watch for signs of stabilization in copper grades after the sharp August 18 decline. Aluminum and steel markets remain steady, while stainless steel and brass/bronze show modest weakness.