Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – April 14, 2026

Prices as of April 14, 2026 at 12:31 PM UTC.

Market screen levels only — not yard pay prices. Actual buy prices at the scale will differ based on grade, moisture, contamination, and freight. The scrolling ticker at the top of this page shows live prices and may differ from the snapshot below.

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• Gold — $4,765/oz ▲
• Silver — $77.46/oz ▲
• PGMs — Rh ▼ $9,950 · Pt ▲ $2,068 · Pd ▼ $1,555
• Copper — $6.02/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.61/lb ▼
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3812

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Gold up $22 to $4,765/oz and silver surged $1.81 to $77.46/oz (up 2.4%). Silver's strong bounce confirms our analysis that oversold levels would attract buyers. List gold inventory now while momentum builds.
• PGMs — Platinum flat at $2,068/oz while palladium dropped $5 to $1,555/oz and rhodium fell $150 to $9,950/oz. Rhodium hit the round-number support we flagged for holding. Keep palladium listings active as weakness continues.
• Copper — Up 2 cents to $6.02/lb, extending gains after our models correctly called higher prices. Industrial demand from the $3.5 billion critical minerals initiative supports copper scrap values. Sell now at these elevated levels.
• Aluminum — Down 3 cents to $1.61/lb, giving back some recent gains. Our previous prediction of continued upward momentum was wrong as industrial metal weakness hit aluminum. Wait for stabilization before major sales.
• Big Picture — Mixed market with 3 metals higher, 3 lower, showing uncertain direction as precious metals recover while industrial metals soften.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $98.13/bbl, down $0.0800 (-0.08%) day-over-day.

Oil retreated 8 cents yesterday as markets digested mixed signals from Middle East tensions and Federal policy uncertainty. The modest pullback from near $98 levels suggests energy costs may stabilize after recent volatility, offering some relief to scrap yard operators in Detroit and Chicago who've faced margin pressure from transportation costs.

Dollar weakness continues to support industrial metals, with the greenback down over 30 basis points. Recent headlines about $3.5 billion in US-Australia critical minerals investment and federal policy boosts for strategic metals are keeping copper and aluminum buyers active across Houston and Los Angeles yards. However, banking restrictions forcing commodity traders toward alternative payment methods could create some friction in precious metals flows. Scrap dealers should watch for any payment processing delays as traditional banking channels face geopolitical pressures.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,765/oz, up +$21.78 (+0.46%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,743/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold climbed above $4,765 per ounce as energy markets showed signs of cooling after recent volatility. The precious metal gained over $21 yesterday, extending its safe-haven appeal while oil retreated from near $98 levels. Scrap gold dealers from Detroit to Atlanta should find steady buyer interest as refiners capitalize on the current pricing environment, though the modest 5-day decline suggests some profit-taking pressure remains.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $77.46/oz, up +$1.81 (+2.39%) day-over-day. Previous close: $75.65/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 61.5:1.

Silver jumped $1.81 to $77.46 per ounce today, gaining momentum after recent weakness. The 2.4% rally reflects both safe-haven demand from ongoing Middle East tensions and industrial buying for electronics and solar panel manufacturing. At current levels, the gold-to-silver ratio sits at 61.5-to-1, suggesting silver remains relatively cheap compared to gold and could attract more buyers. Scrap silver dealers in Detroit and Chicago should see stronger pricing for electronic components, jewelry, and industrial waste as refiners compete for material.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,068/oz, up +$1.00 (+0.05%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,067/oz. MoM: +2.0%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,555/oz, down $5.00 (-0.32%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,560/oz. MoM: +1.2%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $9,950/oz, down $150.00 (-1.49%) day-over-day. Previous close: $10,100/oz. MoM: -13.5%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↓ 2 of last 5 sessions.

Platinum edged higher by $1 while palladium slipped $5 and rhodium dropped $150 as precious metals group showed mixed action. Energy market stability with oil holding near $98 offers some breathing room for Detroit and Chicago scrap yards after recent transportation cost pressures. Rhodium's retreat from the $10,000 level suggests profit-taking after its recent strength, while platinum's modest gain reflects steady automotive demand. Palladium continues its choppy pattern, with sellers in Houston and Atlanta markets watching for clearer direction signals.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.02/lb, up +$0.0190 (+0.32%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.00/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 5 of last 5 sessions.

Copper prices climbed about 2 cents to $6.02 per pound, marking the fifth straight session of gains. This steady upward move benefits scrap sellers in Detroit and Chicago who've been dealing with higher transportation costs from elevated oil prices. The consistent buying interest suggests industrial demand is stabilizing, which supports prices for #1 and #2 copper along with bare bright wire. With energy costs showing signs of stabilizing around $98 oil levels, scrap yard operators should see some relief on their margin pressures while copper maintains this positive momentum.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,557/tonne ($1.61/lb), down $0.0315 (-1.91%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.65/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum dropped 3 cents to $1.61 per pound today as industrial buyers stepped back following last week's strong gains. Despite the pullback, aluminum still shows positive momentum with 3 of the last 5 sessions closing higher, supporting my recent view that medium-term outlook remains solid. Cast aluminum sellers in Detroit and Chicago should view this as a temporary pause rather than a trend reversal, especially with federal support for critical minerals boosting long-term demand expectations. Sheet and extrusion dealers may want to wait before major sales as stabilizing oil costs around $98 should ease transportation pressures that have squeezed scrap yard margins recently.

Steel Scrap (Shredded (SHS), scrapmonster) — Current Indicators

• Steel Scrap Shredded (SHS) (SCRAP-SHS): $413.00/mt, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $413.00/mt.
• 5-day trend: → flat over last 5 sessions.
• HMS 1&2 (80:20) (SCRAP-HM): $366.00/mt (flat day-over-day).

Want to move PGM-bearing material, copper, aluminum, or steel scrap through competitive bidding? List your lots on Smash Scrap and let vetted buyers compete for your scrap.