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China Scrap Prices Pause as All Major Metals Hold Flat
Chinese scrap metal benchmarks were unchanged across every major category on October 1, bringing a pause after the previous session's gains in copper and brass and declines in aluminum and stainless steel. Steel remained stable for another day.
By Anil Mathews
Published October 2, 2026
Market data: October 1, 2026
Summary Points
- Copper: All listed grades held steady after clean copper had gained CNY 300/MT in the prior session.
- Aluminum: No day-over-day movement after widespread declines on September 30.
- Brass/Bronze: Red Brass, Yellow Brass and Brass Radiator were unchanged.
- Stainless Steel: Every listed grade held flat after selected grades weakened a day earlier.
- Steel: #1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap remained unchanged.
- SHFE benchmark check: Copper, aluminum, lead, zinc and rebar futures were also unchanged on October 1.
BEIJING (Scrap Monster): Chinese scrap metal buying benchmarks paused on Thursday, October 1, 2026, with no day-over-day movement recorded across copper, aluminum, brass/bronze, stainless steel or steel on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
The flat session followed a much more active September 30 market, when major clean copper grades gained CNY 300/MT, key aluminum categories declined by as much as CNY 150/MT and selected stainless grades moved lower.
On October 1, those moves stopped entirely.
| Metal | October 1 Move | Market Read |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | → Flat | Rebound paused after prior-session gains |
| Aluminum | → Flat | Decline stopped after Wednesday weakness |
| Brass/Bronze | → Flat | Red and Yellow Brass held steady |
| Stainless Steel | → Flat | Previous-session losses did not extend |
| Steel | → Flat | Continued recent stability |
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
A flat market does not mean nothing changed. October 1 marked a clear pause after Wednesday's divided session. Copper stopped rising, aluminum and stainless stopped falling, brass gave up its upward momentum and steel remained stable. The lack of follow-through across all five categories is the key market signal.
Copper Scrap Prices
Copper scrap prices were unchanged across all listed categories.
#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing and #2 Copper Wire and Tubing recorded no day-over-day movement.
The flat session followed CNY 300/MT gains in each of those major clean copper grades on September 30.
#1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery were also unchanged.
Copper Transformer Scrap and Cu Yokes maintained their previous-session benchmarks.
Cu/Al Radiators, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and Heater Cores recorded no variation.
Scrap Electric Motors and Sealed Units also remained flat.
COPPER BENCHMARK CHECK
The flat physical copper reading was matched by China's domestic futures market. ScrapMonster's October 1 SHFE feed showed copper futures unchanged on the day. That contrasts with the previous scrap session, when clean copper benchmarks had advanced CNY 300/MT.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
Aluminum also showed no day-over-day movement following a broad decline in the prior session.
6063 Extrusions and Aluminum Ingots were unchanged.
Aluminum Radiators and Aluminum Transformers held steady.
E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet recorded no variation.
UBC and Zorba 90% NF also remained unchanged.
The stabilization followed September 30 declines of CNY 150/MT in 6063 Extrusions, Aluminum Ingots, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast and Old Sheet, while several other aluminum grades had fallen CNY 50/MT.
SHFE aluminum futures were also unchanged on October 1, reinforcing the flat tone across the domestic aluminum market.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
Brass and bronze scrap benchmarks were unchanged.
Red Brass and Yellow Brass held at their previous-session levels after both grades had advanced CNY 50/MT on September 30.
Brass Radiator scrap also recorded no movement.
The flat reading therefore interrupted the modest upward momentum seen in the two principal brass grades earlier in the week.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Stainless steel stabilized after the previous day's broader weakness.
201 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning and 309 SS were unchanged.
310 SS and 316 SS Solid also recorded no day-over-day movement.
Shredded Stainless Steel remained flat as well.
The stabilization is notable because 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS, 316 SS Solid and Shred SS had each fallen CNY 50/MT on September 30, while 310 SS had declined CNY 100/MT.
Steel Scrap Prices
Steel remained the most consistently stable category in the Chinese scrap market.
#1 HMS and Cast Iron Scrap both recorded no change on October 1.
The two benchmark grades had also remained unchanged during the preceding sessions.
China's SHFE rebar futures were likewise unchanged on October 1, providing another indication of the day's broadly quiet ferrous market.
Market Read
October began with an unusually uniform Chinese scrap market.
No listed benchmark in copper, aluminum, brass/bronze, stainless steel or steel moved from the previous session.
The lack of movement is more meaningful when viewed against September 30. Clean copper had been rising, aluminum had reversed sharply lower, stainless weakness had broadened and Red and Yellow Brass had advanced.
None of those trends extended into October 1.
The domestic exchange picture was similarly quiet. ScrapMonster's SHFE feed showed copper, aluminum, lead, zinc and rebar futures unchanged during the session.
For buyers, processors and sellers, the October 1 data therefore point to consolidation rather than a new directional move. The next session will determine whether Wednesday's cross-metal trends resume or whether the Chinese scrap market remains in a holding pattern.
Benchmark buying-price move • Exact live price levels are available to ScrapMonster Premium members.
