Chinese Scrap Metal Prices: Copper Gains – Oct. 26, 2026

Chinese scrap metal prices posted mixed movements on October 26, 2026. Major clean copper grades and selected aluminum benchmarks gained CNY 50/MT, while 309 SS, 310 SS and 316 SS Solid declined by the same amount. Steel and brass/bronze prices remained unchanged, according to the ScrapMonster Price Index.

Summary

Copper Scrap Prices Edge Higher
Chinese copper scrap prices recorded modest gains on the ScrapMonster Price Index. #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing each increased by CNY 50 per metric ton (MT), while other copper scrap categories remained unchanged.
Copper Scrap Prices Edge Higher
Chinese copper scrap prices recorded modest gains on the ScrapMonster Price Index. #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing each increased by CNY 50 per metric ton (MT), while other copper scrap categories remained unchanged.
Aluminum Scrap Prices Record Modest Gains
Aluminum scrap prices increased by CNY 50 per MT across several grades, including 6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet. Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Transformers, UBC and Zorba 90% INF prices remained stable.
Stainless Steel Declines as Other Scrap Categories Hold Steady
Selected stainless steel grades, including 309 SS, 310 SS and 316 SS Solid, declined by CNY 50 per MT. Meanwhile, #1 HMS and Cast Iron scrap prices remained unchanged, as did brass and bronze categories, including Brass Radiator, Red Brass and Yellow Brass.

Chinese Scrap Metal Prices: Copper, Aluminum Rise as Stainless Falls – October 26, 2026

Chinese scrap metal prices recorded modest gains in copper and aluminum on October 26, 2026, while selected stainless steel grades declined. Brass/bronze and steel scrap benchmarks remained unchanged on the ScrapMonster Price Index.

By Anil Mathews
Report date: October 27, 2026
Market data: October 26, 2026

Market at a Glance

Copper: Three major clean grades ↑CNY 50/MT.
Aluminum: Five listed grades ↑CNY 50/MT.
Stainless Steel: 309 SS, 310 SS and 316 SS Solid ↓CNY 50/MT.
Brass/Bronze: → Flat across all listed grades.
Steel: → Flat across both listed benchmarks.

BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal buying benchmarks posted mixed movements on Monday, October 26, 2026, with copper and aluminum extending their recent gains on the ScrapMonster Price Index.

#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing each advanced CNY 50 per metric ton.

Selected aluminum grades recorded matching increases, while stainless steel moved lower for the second consecutive session. Steel and brass/bronze benchmarks were unchanged.

Pricing note: Reported changes reflect ScrapMonster benchmark buying-price movements. Actual local quotations may vary by material quality, grade, quantity, location and buyer.

ScrapMonster Edge: Copper Gains Slow While Aluminum Extends Its Advance

Monday's price changes followed a stronger recovery on Friday, October 23, when China's major clean copper grades gained CNY 350/MT.

The additional CNY 50/MT increase on October 26 brought their combined two-session recovery to CNY 400/MT.

However, the same grades had fallen a combined CNY 1,150/MT on October 21–22. They therefore remained CNY 750/MT below their October 20 closing benchmarks.

Aluminum showed a more consistent upward pattern. Five major grades, including 6063 Extrusions and E.C. Aluminum Wire, advanced a combined CNY 250/MT across October 23 and 26.

The distinction: Copper continued recovering from earlier losses, while aluminum maintained its advance. Stainless steel remained under pressure, with additional declines in selected grades.

Copper Scrap Prices Gain CNY 50/MT

Copper scrap prices posted modest increases across three major clean grades:

#1 Copper Bare Bright: ↑CNY 50/MT.
#1 Copper Wire and Tubing: ↑CNY 50/MT.
#2 Copper Wire and Tubing: ↑CNY 50/MT.

Unchanged grades: #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiators, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Heater Cores, Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units.

The gains were concentrated in clean copper, while insulated wire and other copper-bearing materials maintained their previous-session levels.

Aluminum Scrap Prices Extend Gains

Aluminum scrap prices continued to strengthen, with five listed grades advancing CNY 50/MT:

6063 Extrusions
Aluminum Ingots
E.C. Aluminum Wire
Old Cast
Old Sheet

Unchanged grades: Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Transformers, UBC and Zorba 90% NF.

The increases followed broader aluminum gains on October 23, when all nine listed benchmarks had moved higher.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices Decline

Stainless steel moved against the broader copper and aluminum trend, with three grades recording additional losses.

309 SS: ↓CNY 50/MT.
310 SS: ↓CNY 50/MT.
316 SS Solid: ↓CNY 50/MT.

Unchanged grades: 201 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning and Shred SS.

The latest declines followed Friday's broad stainless selloff. Across October 23 and 26, 310 SS recorded a combined decline of CNY 300/MT, while 309 SS and 316 SS Solid each fell CNY 250/MT.

Steel Scrap Prices Remain Unchanged

Chinese steel scrap benchmarks recorded no movement during Monday's session.

#1 HMS: → Flat.
Cast Iron Scrap: → Flat.

Both grades also remained unchanged in the previous session.

Brass and Bronze Scrap Prices Hold Steady

Brass and bronze scrap prices were unchanged across the three listed grades.

Brass Radiator: → Flat.
Red Brass: → Flat.
Yellow Brass: → Flat.

Red Brass and Yellow Brass maintained the CNY 100/MT gains recorded on October 23, while Brass Radiator held its previous-session level.

ScrapMonster Market Read

China's October 26 scrap market showed continued but smaller gains in clean copper and selected aluminum grades, while stainless steel remained weak.

The clearest difference was between copper's partial recovery and aluminum's more consistent advances. Steel and brass/bronze benchmarks offered little additional movement.

For scrap processors and traders, the individual grade changes provide a more useful picture of market conditions than the overall direction of the Index alone.

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POLL

Which Chinese scrap metal category recorded price increases on October 26, 2026?

Copper and aluminum scrap

Stainless steel scrap

Steel and brass/bronze scrap

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the overall trend in Chinese scrap metal prices on October 26, 2026?

Chinese scrap metal prices recorded a mixed trend on the ScrapMonster Price Index. Copper and aluminum scrap prices edged higher, selected stainless steel grades declined, and steel, brass and bronze scrap prices remained unchanged from the previous day.

Which copper scrap grades recorded price increases?

#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing each gained CNY 50 per MT. Other categories, including insulated copper wire, heater cores, copper transformers, radiator scrap, harness wire, electric motors and sealed units, recorded no price changes.

Which aluminum scrap categories registered gains?

6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet each increased by CNY 50 per MT. Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Transformers, UBC and Zorba 90% INF prices remained unchanged, indicating selective rather than broad-based gains across aluminum scrap grades.