How did North American scrap metal prices perform on October 12, 2026?

North American scrap metal markets showed limited price movement, according to the ScrapMonster Price Index. Copper recorded the strongest gains, with four major grades rising by $0.05 per pound. Brass and bronze prices increased modestly, while aluminum, steel, and stainless steel prices remained unchanged.

Which copper scrap grades recorded the largest price increases?

#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, and #3 Copper-Light Copper each increased by $0.05 per pound. Selected grades, including #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, Copper Radiator scrap, and Romex Wire, posted smaller gains of $0.01 per pound.

Which brass and bronze scrap grades increased in price?

Several brass and bronze grades gained $0.01 per pound, including 70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap, Brass Radiator, Red Brass, Red Borings, and Yellow Brass. Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were exceptions, maintaining their previous prices.

North American Copper and Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices Edge Higher on the Index- October 12, 2026

Daily Scrap Metal Price Report | 2026-10-13 06:54:18

Brass and bronze prices registered modest increases, while aluminum, steel and stainless steel markets remained stable.

By Carolina Curiel

North American Copper and Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices Edge Higher on the Index- October 12, 2026

Summary

Copper Scrap Prices Lead Market Gains
North American copper scrap prices moved higher across several grades on October 12, 2026. #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, and #3 Copper-Light Copper each gained $0.05 per pound, while selected insulated copper wire, radiator scrap, and Romex Wire grades increased by $0.01 per pound.
Aluminum, Steel, and Stainless Steel Markets Remain Stable
Aluminum scrap prices remained unchanged across all listed grades, including 6063 Extrusions, E.C. Aluminum Wire, Old Cast, and Used Beverage Cans. Steel scrap benchmarks, including #1 HMS and HMS 80/20, also held steady, while all tracked stainless steel grades recorded no day-over-day price changes.
Brass and Bronze Prices Edge Higher
Brass and bronze scrap prices recorded modest gains across most listed categories. Grades including 70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, Red Brass, and Yellow Brass increased by $0.01 per pound, while Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends remained unchanged.

MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal markets showed limited price movement on Monday, October 12, 2026, according to the ScrapMonster Price Index. Copper led the gains, with four major clean copper grades advancing by $0.05 per pound. Brass and bronze prices registered modest increases, while aluminum, steel, and stainless steel markets remained stable.

Copper: Most grades recorded increases ranging from $0.01 to $0.05 per pound, with four major clean grades posting gains of $0.05 per pound.
Aluminum: Prices remained unchanged across all listed grades.
Steel: All reported steel scrap categories maintained their previous price levels.
Stainless Steel: No price changes were recorded across the listed grades.
Brass/Bronze: Most grades increased by $0.01 per pound. Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were exceptions, with prices holding steady.

Copper Scrap Prices

Copper scrap prices moved upward across several key grades on the ScrapMonster Price Index.

The strongest gains were recorded in four major copper grades, each rising by $0.05 per pound.

#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, and #3 Copper-Light Copper all advanced by $0.05 per pound. Meanwhile, #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery posted smaller increases of $0.01 per pound each. Copper Radiator scrap and Romex Wire also gained $0.01 per pound.

Prices for Alternator scrap remained unchanged. The same stable trend extended to Harness Wire 35% Recovery, Cu Yokes, Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators/Fe, Cu/Al Radiators, Heater Cores, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters, Sealed Units, Copper Transformer Scrap, and Xmas Lights.

Aluminum Scrap Prices

Aluminum scrap prices remained stable across all categories tracked by the ScrapMonster Price Index, with no day-over-day changes reported in any listed grade.

Among the major categories, 1100 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, 6063 Extrusions, 5052 Scrap, and 6061 Extrusions maintained their previous price levels.

Prices also held steady for Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers, and Breakage 50% Recovery.

Other grades, including E.C. Aluminum Wire, Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, MLC Clips, Mixed Aluminum Turnings, Old Cast, UBC, Old Sheet, Painted Siding, and Zorba 90% NF, likewise recorded no movement. The across-the-board stability indicated an unchanged pricing trend throughout the listed aluminum scrap market categories.

Steel Scrap Prices

Steel scrap prices remained flat across all benchmark grades tracked by the ScrapMonster Price Index, with no changes recorded in any of the reported categories.

#1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS, and HMS 80/20 all held at their previous price levels. Similarly, Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap, and Structural Steel registered no day-over-day movement.

The unchanged prices indicate continued stability across the tracked North American steel scrap market, with none of the listed grades recording an increase or decline during the session.

Stainless Steel Scrap Prices

Stainless steel scrap prices remained unchanged across all grades listed in the ScrapMonster Price Index, with no day-over-day movement reported.

The 201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, and 304 SS Turning categories maintained their previous price levels. Similarly, 309 SS, 310 SS, 330 SS, and 316 SS Solid recorded no price changes.

Brass/Bronze Scrap Prices

Brass and bronze scrap prices recorded modest gains across most categories tracked by the ScrapMonster Price Index, with several grades posting a $0.01-per-pound increase.

70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap, and Brass Radiator each advanced by $0.01 per pound. Red Brass, Red Borings, and Yellow Brass registered the same increase, indicating a slight upward movement across multiple brass scrap grades.

However, Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends remained unchanged from the previous session.

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POLL

Which scrap metal category recorded the strongest price gains in the North American market on October 12, 2026?

Copper

Aluminum

Steel

Frequently Asked Questions

How did North American scrap metal prices perform on October 12, 2026?
North American scrap metal markets showed limited price movement, according to the ScrapMonster Price Index. Copper recorded the strongest gains, with four major grades rising by $0.05 per pound. Brass and bronze prices increased modestly, while aluminum, steel, and stainless steel prices remained unchanged.
Which copper scrap grades recorded the largest price increases?
#1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing, #1 Copper Bare Bright, and #3 Copper-Light Copper each increased by $0.05 per pound. Selected grades, including #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery, #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery, Copper Radiator scrap, and Romex Wire, posted smaller gains of $0.01 per pound.
Which brass and bronze scrap grades increased in price?
Several brass and bronze grades gained $0.01 per pound, including 70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap, Brass Radiator, Red Brass, Red Borings, and Yellow Brass. Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were exceptions, maintaining their previous prices.