By Copper Gains 4¢/Lb as Aluminum and Stainless Scrap Rise
North American scrap benchmarks strengthened on October 19, led by 4¢/lb gains in four major clean copper grades. Seventeen aluminum grades and seven stainless steel grades also advanced, while steel and brass/bronze remained unchanged.
Report date: October 20, 2026
Market data: October 19, 2026, compared with October 16, 2026
Key Points
- Copper: #1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #3 Copper-Light Copper each gained 4¢/lb.
- Aluminum: Seventeen of 23 listed grades rose 1¢/lb; six were unchanged.
- Stainless Steel: Seven of eight listed grades increased, led by 330 SS at 3¢/lb.
- Steel: All seven listed grades, including #1 HMS, #1 Busheling and Shredded Auto Scrap, held steady.
- Brass/Bronze: All nine listed grades, including Red Brass and Yellow Brass, remained unchanged.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal buying benchmarks moved higher across selected copper, aluminum and stainless steel grades on Monday, October 19, 2026, compared with Friday, October 16, on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
Four major clean copper grades advanced by 4¢/lb, while the remaining listed copper grades held steady.
Aluminum gains were more widespread, with 17 of 23 listed grades rising 1¢/lb. Stainless steel also strengthened across most listed grades, with increases ranging from 1¢/lb to 3¢/lb.
Steel and brass/bronze remained unchanged. Across the five categories reviewed, no price declines were recorded.
Copper Scrap Prices
Copper recorded its strongest increases across the major clean grades.
#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright and #3 Copper-Light Copper each rose by 4¢/lb.
Copper Radiators reported no change on the Index.
Alternator, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery were also unchanged.
Copper Transformer Scrap, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe held steady.
Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Heater Cores, Romex® Wire, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Sealed Units and Xmas Lights also recorded no change from Friday.
Aluminum Scrap Prices
Aluminum scrap buying benchmarks advanced across most listed grades.
1100 Scrap and 3003 Scrap each gained 1¢/lb. The same increase was recorded in 356 Aluminum Wheels (Clean) and 6063 Extrusions/Fe.
6063 Extrusions, 5052 Scrap and 6061 Extrusions also rose by 1¢/lb.
Al/Cu Radiators and Al/Cu Radiators/Fe were unchanged. Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers and Breakage 50% Recovery also held steady.
E.C. Aluminum Wire, Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets and MLC Clips each increased by 1¢/lb.
Mixed Aluminum Turnings, Old Cast, UBC, Old Sheet, Painted Siding and Zorba 90% NF also gained 1¢/lb.
Steel Scrap Prices
Steel scrap buying benchmarks remained unchanged across all seven listed grades.
#1 Bundle held steady compared with Friday.
#1 Busheling and #1 HMS also recorded no change on the Index.
HMS 80/20, Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel maintained their previous-session levels.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices
Stainless steel moved higher across seven of the eight listed grades.
201 SS was unchanged from Friday.
301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS and 316 SS Solid each advanced by 1¢/lb.
310 SS gained 2¢/lb.
330 SS recorded the largest stainless steel increase of the session, rising by 3¢/lb.
Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices
North American brass and bronze scrap buying benchmarks showed no change on the Index.
70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator held steady.
Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were unchanged from Friday.
Red Brass, Rod Borings and Yellow Brass also remained flat.
Market Read
The October 19 session showed broader strength in aluminum and stainless steel than in copper. Most listed aluminum and stainless grades advanced, while copper gains remained concentrated in the four major clean grades.
The unchanged insulated-wire, copper-radiator and brass benchmarks show that the clean copper increase did not extend across the broader copper-bearing scrap basket.
Steel remained the most stable major category, with every listed ferrous grade unchanged from Friday.
Across the five categories reviewed, 28 of 67 listed grades increased and 39 remained unchanged. These counts describe individual listed benchmarks and are not a volume-weighted measure of the North American scrap market.
Benchmark buying-price move • Local quotes can vary by grade, quantity, quality and location.
