Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – April 20, 2026

Prices as of April 20, 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 — $4,806/oz ▼
• Silver — $79.50/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $10,100 · Pt ▼ $2,072 · Pd ▼ $1,522
• Copper — $6.04/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.61/lb ▼
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3671

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Sell jewelry and e-scrap lots now as both dropped today (gold -0.50%, silver -1.53%) and my prior predictions of further declines proved right.
• PGMs — List platinum and palladium scrap quickly with drops of 1.33% and 1.30%, while rhodium stays flat—bearish trend matches my corrected outlook on weakness.
• Copper — Move wire and heavy copper inventory today after 0.73% decline to $6.04/lb, as short-term breather extended into downside.
• Aluminum — Hold clean alu scrap briefly as it fell just 0.04% to $1.61/lb and remains near flat, matching my stability call.
• Big Picture — No metals higher today with 5 lower—shop multiple buyers and sell volume now before more downside hits payouts.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $94.80/bbl, up $2.93 (+3.19%) day-over-day.

**Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk**

Brent crude oil jumped to $94.80 per barrel, up $2.93 or 3.19% today[Data][1]. This rise ties to ships attacked near the Strait of Hormuz as Iran shows more control there[Recent news: Argus Media]. Higher energy costs may squeeze scrap processor margins soon. Auto production fell to 102.63, down 3.98 points, which adds risk to metals demand[Data].

The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.32%, up 0.03 points, while inflation expectations eased to 2.36%[Data]. USD/CAD holds at 1.3671, supporting some export flows[Data]. Overall, energy strength boosts risk but weak autos signal caution for scrap markets.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,806/oz, down $24.26 (-0.50%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,830/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

The **scrap gold recycling market is booming**, growing from $15.58 billion in 2025 to $16.88 billion in 2026, with projections to reach $23.58 billion by 2030.[1][3] Gold prices remain near historic highs driven by economic uncertainty, making now a strong time for sellers to recycle old jewelry and scrap directly to dealers rather than pawn shops.[1][2][5] The industry's growth is fueled by rising gold prices, increased awareness of metal reuse, and stronger sustainability initiatives pushing both individuals and businesses to recycle more gold.[1][3]

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $79.50/oz, down $1.23 (-1.53%) day-over-day. Previous close: $80.74/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 60.4:1.

**Silver market faces tight supply but pricing pressure today.** Spot silver fell 1.53% to $79.50/oz as energy costs surge from Middle East tensions, squeezing refiner margins and slowing scrap buying rates[1][4]. Industrial demand remains strong—solar panels, electric vehicles, and electronics drive need for recycled silver—but recyclers should expect slower payouts in the near term as the market works through financing challenges[1][4].

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,072/oz, down $28.00 (-1.33%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,100/oz. MoM: +7.7%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,522/oz, down $20.00 (-1.30%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,542/oz. MoM: +9.3%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $10,100/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $10,100/oz. MoM: -9.4%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 2 of last 5 sessions.

**PGM prices dipped slightly today, but 2025's higher prices have renewed recycling activity after years of slowdown.**[2][7] Scrapyards were hoarding catalysts when prices were low from 2022 to 2024, but rising PGM values have made recycling economically worthwhile again—expect stronger supply this year.[2][7] For sellers, this means better market conditions ahead, though geopolitical risks in top producer South Africa still pose volatility threats.[3]

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.04/lb, down $0.0445 (-0.73%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.08/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper** prices fell to **$6.04 per pound** today, down about 4 cents or 0.73% from yesterday, with drops in 3 of the last 5 sessions. Even as **Brent crude oil** jumped to **$94.80 per barrel** on attacks near the Strait of Hormuz, copper scrap weakened amid high inventories and trade worries like US tariffs on China. Scrap sellers should hold off selling now but watch for long-term gains from strong demand in green tech.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,556/tonne ($1.61/lb), down $0.0006 (-0.04%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.61/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum scrap prices sit at $1.61 per pound, down less than a cent or -0.04% today. The price fell in 3 of the last 5 sessions, even as **Brent crude oil** jumped to $94.80 per barrel on attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Scrap sellers should watch for steady demand from recycling growth, but hold off listing until the dip stabilizes.

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.