Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – April 21, 2026

Prices as of April 21, 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 — $4,783/oz ▼
• Silver — $78.69/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $10,150 · Pt ▼ $2,081 · Pd ▲ $1,552
• Copper — $6.05/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.62/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3660

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Hold scrap gold and silver lots; both down nearly 1-2% today, so wait for rebound from safe-haven demand before selling.
• PGMs — Sell palladium scrap now at +0.32% gain while platinum dips -0.81% and rhodium stays flat; lock in upside on rebounding converter demand.
• Copper — Sell copper scrap today; up $0.007/lb or +0.12% on strong EV wiring needs amid volatile swings.
• Aluminum — Sell aluminum scrap this morning; up $0.004/lb or +0.25% from green energy and manufacturing demand.
• Big Picture — Mixed signals with 3 of 8 metals higher today—price your top inventoried metals aggressively but hold weak ones.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $90.85/bbl, down $3.80 (-4.01%) day-over-day.

**Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk**

Brent crude oil fell to $90.85 per barrel, down $3.80 or 4.01% from yesterday. This drop follows our note on Middle East tensions, but de-escalation talk eased fears of shipping blocks in the Strait of Hormuz. Lower energy costs cut scrap processing expenses, but volatile oil swings add risk to metals demand.

The Dollar Index eased to 90.82, down 0.32, while 10-year yields dipped to 4.26%. Auto production dropped to 102.63, down nearly 4%, signaling weaker steel scrap needs. Gold holds near $4,800 as a safe haven amid war risks, supporting precious metals recycling. Watch oil for quick rebounds on any fresh threats.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,783/oz, down $46.91 (-0.97%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,830/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold fell to $4,783 per ounce today, down $47 or 0.97% from yesterday, with prices dropping in 3 of the last 5 sessions. Talk of easing Middle East tensions, alongside Brent crude oil at $90.85 per barrel after a 4% drop, cut safe-haven buying and eased energy fears. Scrap sellers should sell now at these high levels before more dips hit the recycling market.[1][2][3]

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $78.69/oz, down $1.39 (-1.73%) day-over-day. Previous close: $80.07/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 60.8:1.

**Silver** fell to $78.69 per ounce today, down $1.39 or 1.73% from yesterday, with a downtrend in 4 of the last 5 sessions. Scrap sellers and recyclers face lower payouts now as oil eases to $90.85 per barrel on de-escalation talk in the Middle East, but hold scrap for the long run—strong demand from solar panels and electric cars keeps supporting prices despite refining backlogs.[1][3][4] The gold-silver ratio at 60.8:1 shows silver lagging gold slightly.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,081/oz, down $17.00 (-0.81%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,098/oz. MoM: +8.2%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,552/oz, up +$5.00 (+0.32%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,547/oz. MoM: +11.5%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $10,150/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $10,150/oz. MoM: -9.0%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**PGM prices show mixed signals for scrap sellers today.** Platinum fell $17 to $2,081/oz, down 0.81% with a downward trend in 3 of the last 5 sessions, while palladium rose $5 to $1,552/oz, up 0.32% and gaining in 3 of 5 sessions; rhodium stayed flat at $10,150/oz but trended up in 3 of 5 sessions. As Brent crude eases to $90.85/bbl amid de-escalating Middle East talks, scrap sellers should watch for better recycling payouts if prices firm up.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.05/lb, up +$0.0070 (+0.12%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.05/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper** scrap prices hit $6.05 per pound today, up just 0.12% or less than a cent from yesterday. Even with drops in 3 of the last 5 days, easing Middle East tensions and falling Brent crude oil at $90.85 per barrel help keep energy costs low for scrap sellers. Strong long-term demand from EVs and green tech points to higher prices ahead, so hold clean scrap for now.[1][2][7][8]

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,564/tonne ($1.62/lb), up +$0.0041 (+0.25%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.61/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum scrap is holding steady at **$1.62 per pound today, up slightly** as lower oil prices ease energy concerns in recycling operations.[4][6] The global aluminum recycling market is booming—expected to grow from $35.9 billion in 2025 to $48.6 billion by 2030—driven by strong demand from automakers and construction companies looking for cheaper, greener metal.[1] If you're selling scrap aluminum, this upward trend combined with industry growth means solid demand ahead.

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.