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North American Copper Scrap Jumps 13¢/Lb as Brass Also Moves Higher
North American scrap buying benchmarks turned firmer on October 9 as four major clean copper grades surged 13¢/lb and several brass and bronze categories gained 3¢/lb. Aluminum, steel and stainless steel remained unchanged.
By Carolina Curiel
Published October 12, 2026
Market data: October 9, 2026
Market at a Glance
- Copper: Major clean grades jumped ↑13¢/lb, while most other copper categories gained 1¢–5¢/lb.
- Brass/Bronze: Major grades including Red Brass and Yellow Brass rose ↑3¢/lb.
- Aluminum: → Flat across all reported categories.
- Steel: → Flat across all benchmark grades.
- Stainless Steel: → Flat across the reported list.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal prices produced a concentrated non-ferrous rally on Friday, October 9, 2026, with copper recording the strongest movement on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire & Tubing, #2 Copper Wire & Tubing and #3 Copper-Light Copper each increased ↑13¢/lb.
Brass and bronze also moved higher across most major grades, while aluminum, steel and stainless steel remained unchanged.
Benchmark buying-price move: ScrapMonster reports benchmark market movements. Local yard quotations can vary by grade, location, volume and individual buyer conditions.
ScrapMonster Exclusive: Scrap Copper and COMEX Moved Almost in Lockstep
The 13¢/lb clean-copper increase was notable not only for its size, but for how closely it matched the futures market. December COMEX copper finished October 9 at approximately $6.6920/lb, up 12.35¢/lb from the prior session.
That puts the daily COMEX move within less than one cent per pound of the 13¢/lb adjustment in the four principal clean scrap grades. Scrap buying benchmarks and futures contracts are different markets, so the two should not be treated as equivalent prices, but the directional and absolute moves were unusually closely aligned on this session.
The move also broke a two-session pause in North American scrap pricing. Copper benchmarks had remained unchanged on October 7 and October 8 after posting smaller gains earlier in the week.
The scale of Friday's move stands out against those earlier adjustments. Major clean copper grades had risen 8¢/lb on October 5 and another 2¢/lb on October 6 before holding flat for two sessions. Friday's 13¢/lb increase was therefore the largest clean-copper move of that sequence.
Brass participated, but at a much smaller magnitude. Major brass grades increased 3¢/lb, producing a 10¢/lb difference between the headline copper and brass adjustments.
Copper Scrap Prices Jump Across Major Grades
Copper supplied the strongest directional signal of the October 9 session.
| Copper Grade | Daily Change |
|---|---|
| #1 Copper Bare Bright | ↑13¢/lb |
| #1 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑13¢/lb |
| #2 Copper Wire & Tubing | ↑13¢/lb |
| #3 Copper-Light Copper | ↑13¢/lb |
| Copper Radiator Scrap | ↑5¢/lb |
| #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery | ↑3¢/lb |
| #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery | ↑3¢/lb |
| Romex Wire | ↑3¢/lb |
| Harness Wire 35% Recovery | ↑3¢/lb |
| Alternator Scrap | ↑2¢/lb |
| Cu Yokes | ↑2¢/lb |
| Heater Cores | ↑2¢/lb |
| Scrap Electric Motors | ↑2¢/lb |
| Starters | ↑2¢/lb |
| Sealed Units | ↑2¢/lb |
| Copper Transformer Scrap | ↑1¢/lb |
| Xmas Lights | ↑1¢/lb |
Not every copper-containing grade participated in the advance. Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe remained → Flat.
Copper Futures Strengthen Alongside Scrap
Broader copper markets also moved higher on October 9.
December COMEX copper finished at approximately $6.6920/lb, up ↑1.88%, or about ↑12.35¢/lb, from October 8.
London Metal Exchange benchmark copper was also higher during Friday trading. Reuters reported the LME contract up 1.6% at $14,541 per metric ton at 1604 GMT.
Reuters cited mine-supply risks, signs of active Chinese demand and tight visible inventories outside the United States as factors supporting the broader copper market.
The futures and scrap benchmarks are not directly interchangeable, but their similar movement provides useful context for the size and direction of Friday's North American scrap adjustment.
Brass and Bronze Scrap Prices Rise
Brass and bronze followed copper higher, although the adjustments were considerably smaller.
| Brass/Bronze Grade | Daily Change |
|---|---|
| 70/30 Brass Scrap | ↑3¢/lb |
| 80/20 Brass Scrap | ↑3¢/lb |
| 85/15 Brass Scrap | ↑3¢/lb |
| Brass Radiator | ↑3¢/lb |
| Red Brass | ↑3¢/lb |
| Red Borings | ↑3¢/lb |
| Yellow Brass | ↑3¢/lb |
| Brass Radiator/Fe | ↑1¢/lb |
| Brass Radiator Ends | → Flat |
The principal brass grades therefore moved in the same direction as copper, but the typical ↑3¢/lb increase was substantially smaller than the ↑13¢/lb adjustment in major clean copper grades.
Aluminum Scrap Prices Remain Flat
Aluminum showed no daily movement despite the gains in copper and brass.
1100 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, 6063 Extrusions, 5052 Scrap and 6061 Extrusions all remained → Flat.
Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers and Breakage 50% Recovery were also unchanged.
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 held their previous-session levels.
Steel Scrap Prices Hold Steady
Steel remained unchanged across all of the reported benchmark grades.
| Steel Grade | Daily Movement |
|---|---|
| #1 Bundle | → Flat |
| #1 Busheling | → Flat |
| #1 HMS | → Flat |
| HMS 80/20 | → Flat |
| Sheet Metal | → Flat |
| Shredded Auto Scrap | → Flat |
| Structural Steel | → Flat |
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices Unchanged
Stainless steel also remained stable across every grade identified in the report.
201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS, 310 SS, 330 SS and 316 SS Solid all recorded → Flat daily readings.
What to Watch Next
Copper follow-through: After a 13¢/lb adjustment, the next session will show whether clean copper extends the move or consolidates at the higher benchmark.
Futures alignment: Continued strength or reversal in COMEX and LME copper will provide useful context for the next North American scrap update.
Brass: Major brass grades participated in Friday's rally, but at less than one-quarter of the clean-copper move. Watch whether that gap narrows in the next adjustment.
Aluminum: Aluminum's complete lack of movement stands out against the non-ferrous gains in copper and brass.
Ferrous: Steel remained unchanged, extending the comparatively quiet short-term pattern across #1 HMS, shredded and prime grades.
ScrapMonster Market Read: October 9 was not a broad-based North American scrap rally. It was a copper-led move with secondary participation from brass. The unusually close match between the 13¢/lb clean-copper adjustment and the roughly 12.35¢/lb gain in December COMEX copper gives Friday's move stronger external benchmark confirmation than most daily scrap sessions. Aluminum, steel and stainless steel remaining flat reinforces the point that the strength was concentrated rather than market-wide.
