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North American Copper Scrap Falls 14¢ as Metals Weaken
North American scrap buying benchmarks moved broadly lower on September 29, led by a 14¢/lb decline across major clean copper grades. Aluminum, brass/bronze and stainless steel also weakened, while steel was the only major category to hold steady.
By Carolina Curiel
Published September 30, 2026
Market data: September 29, 2026
Key Points
- Major clean copper grades fell 14¢/lb, the largest moves among the tracked categories.
- Aluminum declined by 1¢/lb across numerous grades, while E.C. Aluminum Wire fell 2¢/lb.
- Major brass grades fell 3¢/lb, while two brass radiator categories held unchanged.
- Every listed stainless grade declined by 1¢–3¢/lb, led by a 3¢/lb drop in 330 SS.
- Steel was unchanged across all listed grades, including #1 HMS, busheling and shredded scrap.
MONTREAL (Scrap Monster): North American scrap metal buying benchmarks moved broadly lower on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with copper again providing the strongest directional signal on the ScrapMonster Price Index.
Major clean copper grades fell 14¢/lb. Aluminum and brass/bronze also weakened across a wide range of grades, while every stainless steel grade included in the session moved lower.
Steel stood apart from the broader decline. All listed ferrous benchmarks held at their previous-day levels.
| Metal | September 29 Move | Market Read |
|---|---|---|
| Copper | ▼ Up to 14¢/lb | Largest declines of the session |
| Aluminum | ▼ Up to 2¢/lb | Most selected grades lower; several unchanged |
| Brass/Bronze | ▼ 3¢/lb | Broad decline across major grades |
| Stainless Steel | ▼ 1–3¢/lb | Every listed grade moved lower |
| Steel | → Flat | All listed grades unchanged |
SCRAPMONSTER EDGE
Tuesday's market was notable for both the size and breadth of the nonferrous decline. Copper produced the largest individual moves, with major clean grades down 14¢/lb. Stainless showed the broadest participation, with every listed grade lower. Steel moved in the opposite sense by doing nothing at all: every tracked ferrous grade held steady.
Clean Copper Scrap Drops 14¢/Lb
Copper recorded the sharpest declines among the major North American scrap categories tracked during the September 29 session.
#1 Copper Bare Bright, #1 Copper Wire and Tubing, #2 Copper Wire and Tubing and #3 Copper-Light Copper each fell 14¢/lb.
Insulated copper grades posted smaller declines. #1 Insulated Copper Wire 85% Recovery and #2 Insulated Copper Wire 50% Recovery each fell 3¢/lb.
Copper Radiator Scrap declined 5¢/lb, while Cu Yokes eased 1¢/lb. Copper Transformer Scrap was unchanged.
Cu/Al Radiator Ends, Cu/Al Radiators and Cu/Al Radiators/Fe also held steady.
Further down the copper complex, Harness Wire 35% Recovery and Romex Wire each declined 3¢/lb, while Heater Cores fell 2¢/lb.
Alternator Scrap, Scrap Electric Motors, Starters and Sealed Units recorded no day-over-day change.
COPPER READ
The size of Tuesday's clean-copper adjustment stands out from the rest of the nonferrous market. The major clean grades fell 14¢/lb, compared with declines of 3¢/lb across the principal brass grades and no more than 2¢/lb among the listed aluminum grades.
Aluminum Moves Lower Across Selected Grades
Aluminum scrap prices were generally softer, although the session was not uniformly lower across the category.
1100 Scrap, 3003 Scrap, 356 Aluminum Wheels, 6063 Extrusions, 6063 Extrusions/Fe, 5052 Scrap and 6061 Extrusions each declined 1¢/lb.
Chrome Wheels, Litho Sheets, MLC Clips, Old Cast, Old Sheet, Painted Siding, UBC and Zorba 90% NF also fell 1¢/lb.
E.C. Aluminum Wire posted the largest aluminum move, declining 2¢/lb.
Not every aluminum grade followed lower. Al/Cu Radiators, Al/Cu Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Radiators, Aluminum Radiators/Fe, Aluminum Transformers, Mixed Aluminum Turnings and Breakage 50% Recovery were unchanged.
Major Brass Grades Fall 3¢/Lb
Brass and bronze scrap prices weakened broadly across the major listed grades.
70/30 Brass Scrap, 80/20 Brass Scrap, 85/15 Brass Scrap and Brass Radiator each declined 3¢/lb.
Red Brass, Rod Borings and Yellow Brass also fell 3¢/lb.
Brass Radiator/Fe and Brass Radiator Ends were the exceptions, holding unchanged from the previous session.
Stainless Decline Reaches Every Listed Grade
Stainless steel delivered the broadest decline of the September 29 session, with every listed benchmark moving lower.
201 SS, 301 SS, 304 SS Solid, 304 SS Turning, 309 SS and 316 SS Solid each fell 1¢/lb.
310 SS declined 2¢/lb.
330 SS recorded the largest stainless move, falling 3¢/lb.
The spread across the category is significant from a market-reading standpoint: unlike aluminum, brass and copper, where some listed grades remained unchanged, every stainless benchmark included in Tuesday's report moved lower.
Steel Breaks From the Broader Downtrend
Steel scrap was the only major category in the report to avoid Tuesday's broader market decline.
#1 Bundle, #1 Busheling, #1 HMS and HMS 80/20 all held steady.
Sheet Metal, Shredded Auto Scrap and Structural Steel also recorded no change from the previous session.
The flat ferrous reading created a clear divide in Tuesday's market: nonferrous and stainless benchmarks were broadly softer, while all listed steel grades remained unchanged.
Market Read
September 29 produced a broad decline across North American nonferrous and stainless scrap benchmarks, but the magnitude of the moves varied considerably by category and grade.
Copper remained the clearest pressure point. Clean grades recorded 14¢/lb declines, while insulated wire and other secondary copper categories generally moved by smaller amounts or held steady.
Aluminum weakness was widespread but modest, with most declining grades losing 1¢/lb and E.C. Aluminum Wire down 2¢/lb. Brass presented a more uniform pattern, with most major grades falling 3¢/lb.
Stainless was different again. Individual losses were smaller than copper's, but the decline reached every listed stainless grade, with 330 SS posting the category's largest move at 3¢/lb.
Steel provided the counterpoint. No listed ferrous benchmark moved during the session, separating the steel market from the weakness seen across the other major categories.
For scrap sellers, processors and buyers, Tuesday's data reinforce an important distinction: a broad market decline does not mean every metal or every grade is repriced by the same amount. Copper showed the deepest losses, stainless showed the widest participation, and steel remained entirely unchanged.
Benchmark buying-price move • Exact live price levels are available to ScrapMonster Premium members. Local quotes vary by grade and location.
