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China Scrap Prices Split as Copper Rises and Aluminum Falls
Chinese scrap metal benchmarks diverged sharply on October 8, with clean copper grades gaining as much as CNY 450 per metric ton while major aluminum grades fell by the same amount. Brass/bronze moved modestly higher, stainless steel weakened and steel scrap remained unchanged.
By Anil Mathews
Published October 9, 2026
Market data: October 8, 2026
Market at a Glance
- Copper: Mostly higher, led by clean grades at ↑CNY 450/MT.
- Aluminum: Broadly lower, with several major grades falling ↓CNY 450/MT.
- Brass/Bronze: Higher, with Red Brass and Yellow Brass each up ↑CNY 100/MT.
- Stainless Steel: Lower across the reported grades, with declines ranging from ↓CNY 50/MT to ↓CNY 150/MT.
- Steel: → Flat.
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal prices posted a mixed performance on the ScrapMonster Price Index on Thursday, October 8, 2026, as gains in copper and brass/bronze were offset by weaker aluminum and stainless steel prices. Steel scrap remained unchanged.
The session marked a clear break from October 7, when all five major scrap categories tracked in the daily report had remained flat.
Benchmark price move: ScrapMonster reports market benchmark movements. Actual buying prices can vary by grade, location, volume and transaction conditions.
ScrapMonster Intelligence: Divergence Returns After a Flat Session
The most important feature of October 8 was not simply that prices moved, but that they moved in opposite directions. Clean copper benchmarks rose ↑CNY 450/MT while several of the largest aluminum benchmarks fell ↓CNY 450/MT.
Copper showed the strongest upward momentum. The three principal clean grades all posted identical CNY 450/MT gains, while insulated wire, Cu/Al Radiators and Heater Cores also moved higher.
Aluminum showed the broadest weakness. Every aluminum category listed in the report declined, with 6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet posting the largest losses.
Steel remained the market's stable anchor. #1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap were unchanged even as non-ferrous and stainless categories moved in both directions.
The session therefore represents a shift from market-wide stability to commodity-specific pricing. For processors and traders, that makes individual metal exposure more important than the direction of the overall scrap market.
Copper Scrap Prices
Copper recorded the strongest upward movement among the major categories tracked during the session.
| Copper Grade | Daily Move |
|---|---|
| #1 Copper Bare Bright | ↑CNY 450/MT |
| #1 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑CNY 450/MT |
| #2 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑CNY 450/MT |
| #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery | ↑CNY 200/MT |
| #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery | ↑CNY 100/MT |
| Cu/Al Radiators | ↑CNY 100/MT |
| Heater Cores | ↑CNY 150/MT |
Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units remained → Flat on the Index.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
Aluminum moved in the opposite direction, with declines reported across every category listed in the daily report.
| Aluminum Grade | Daily Move |
|---|---|
| 6063 Extrusions | ↓CNY 450/MT |
| Aluminum Ingots | ↓CNY 450/MT |
| Aluminum Radiators | ↓CNY 200/MT |
| Aluminum Transformers | ↓CNY 200/MT |
| E.C. Aluminum Wire | ↓CNY 450/MT |
| Old Cast | ↓CNY 450/MT |
| Old Sheet | ↓CNY 450/MT |
| Used Beverage Cans | ↓CNY 200/MT |
| Zorba 90% NF | ↓CNY 200/MT |
The aluminum move was unusually broad compared with the other major categories in the report, with no listed grade remaining unchanged.
Steel Scrap Prices
Steel remained the quietest part of the Chinese scrap market.
| Steel Grade | Daily Move |
|---|---|
| #1 HMS | → Flat |
| Cast Iron Scrap | → Flat |
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Stainless steel scrap prices moved lower across the grades identified in the daily report.
| Stainless Steel Grade | Daily Move |
|---|---|
| 201 SS | ↓CNY 50/MT |
| 304 SS Solid | ↓CNY 50/MT |
| 304 SS Turning | ↓CNY 50/MT |
| Shred SS | ↓CNY 50/MT |
| 309 SS | ↓CNY 100/MT |
| 316 SS Solid | ↓CNY 100/MT |
| 310 SS | ↓CNY 150/MT |
310 SS recorded the largest listed stainless steel decline at ↓CNY 150/MT.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
Brass and bronze scrap prices edged higher, although the gains were smaller than those recorded in clean copper.
| Brass/Bronze Grade | Daily Move |
|---|---|
| Brass Radiator | ↑CNY 50/MT |
| Red Brass | ↑CNY 100/MT |
| Yellow Brass | ↑CNY 100/MT |
What to Watch Next
Copper: The next session will show whether the CNY 450/MT move in the major clean grades develops into a broader trend or proves to be a one-session adjustment.
Aluminum: Because weakness extended across every listed grade, aluminum warrants particularly close attention for either follow-through or stabilization.
Steel: #1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap remain unchanged, extending the category's comparatively stable short-term pattern.
Stainless and brass: These markets moved in opposite directions on October 8, adding to the broader evidence that individual commodity fundamentals are currently more important than a single China-wide scrap direction.
ScrapMonster Market Read: October 8 ended the previous session's market-wide pause, but it did not produce a uniform rebound or selloff. Instead, the Index showed clear dispersion: copper and brass/bronze strengthened, aluminum and stainless weakened, and steel remained flat. For market participants, the signal is therefore one of divergence rather than broad direction.
