Copper Scrap Prices: Weekly Market Report- May 9, 2025

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster):The below report analyses the weekly price trends of scrap copper across various regional markets during the past week (May 2-8, 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 Sealed Units, whose prices edged lower by 2.50% from $0.40 per Lb to $0.39 per Lb. The other copper scrap varieties to record notable dip in prices include Starters and Scrap Electric Motors, which recorded price declines by 2.44% and 2.00% respectively.

The weekly price movement for Sealed Units is shown in the below chart:

The other copper scrap categories to witness decline in prices include #3 Copper- Light Copper, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery.

The rest of the copper scrap categories held steady on the Index during the week ended May 8, 2025.

USA East Coast Prices

The prices of most copper scrap categories witnessed modest decline in the region. Sealed Units prices posted the biggest increase over the week.

The prices of Starters and Scrap Electric Motors also decreased significantly over the week.

The weekly price chart of Starters, whose prices edged lower from $0.41 per Lb to $0.40 per Lb, is provided below:

Also, the prices of #3 Copper- Light Copper, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery recorded decline as of the week ended May 8, 2025.

Meanwhile, Cu/Al Radiators, Alternator, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe and Xmas Lights 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 Sealed Units, whose prices edged lower from $0.39 per Lb to $0.38 per Lb. The other copper scrap varieties to record notable decline in prices include Starters and Scrap Electric Motors, which recorded price declines by 2.50% and 2.04% respectively.

 The weekly price movement for Scrap Electric Motors is shown in the below chart:

The prices of #3 Copper- Light Copper, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery witnessed decrease week-on-week.

USA West Coast Prices

The prices of most copper scrap categories witnessed marginal decline in the region. Sealed Units and Starters prices posted the biggest decline over the week. The prices of both the above commodities were down by 2.44% each over the previous week.

The prices of Scrap Electric Motors also recorded modest decline over the week, falling by 1.92%.

Also, the prices of #3 Copper- Light Copper, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, Romex Wire, Copper Radiators, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Heater Cores, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery recorded decline during the week.

In contrast, Cu/Al Radiators, Alternator, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe and Xmas Lights 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 0.63% week-on-week to close at CNY 72,200 per MT during the week. 

The prices of #1 Copper Wire and Tubing also were up by 0.62%, when compared with the week before.

The #1 Copper Bare Bright prices recorded increase, rising from the previous week’s prices by 0.59% as of May 8, 2025. The weekly price chart of the commodity for the week ending May 8, 2025 is given below:

The other commodities to record increase in prices include #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, Heater Cores, Cu Yokes, and Harness Wire 35% Recovery.

All the other commodities such as Cu/Al Radiators, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, Copper Transformer Scrap, 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 2.48%.

The copper heavy scrap and copper armeture scrap prices recorded increase, with the prices of both commodities recording jump by 1.23%. The weekly chart depicting the price movement in Copper heavy scrap is provided below:

The prices of copper cable scrap and copper utensil scrap also inched higher on the Scrap Monster Index by 1.21% and 1.22% respectively. 

Also, the prices of Copper wire bars (HCL *) increased by 1.19% during the week ending May 8, 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 9,395.00 per tonne as of May 8, 2025. The LME Copper Cash Settlement contract prices decreased marginally from $9,486.00 a day before to $9,413.00 per tonne.

The LME Copper stocks saw marginal increase over the previous day to close at 194,275 tonnes of May 8, 2025, when compared with 193,975 tonnes a day before.

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