Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – April 23, 2026

Prices as of April 23, 2026 at 12:30 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 — $4,724/oz ▼
• Silver — $76.69/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $10,150 · Pt ▼ $2,025 · Pd ▼ $1,472
• Copper — $6.07/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.63/lb ▼
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3662

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Hold scrap gold and silver; prices fell 0.27% and 1.20%—wait for rebound before selling.
• PGMs — Sell palladium scrap now after 3.79% drop, as predicted; hold rhodium (flat) and platinum (down 2.17%).
• Copper — Sell copper scrap at $6.07/lb after 1.01% drop—reassess if it spikes above $6.30/lb.
• Aluminum — Sell aluminum scrap at $1.63/lb before further weakness from 0.87% decline.
• Big Picture — All metals down or flat (0 higher, 6 lower)—lock in sales today to avoid more losses.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $96.45/bbl, down $5.03 (-4.96%) day-over-day.

**Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk**

Brent crude oil fell sharply to $96.45 per barrel, down 5% today. This drop eases some pressure on energy costs for scrap processing, but watch for rebounds from supply fears tied to U.S.-Iran tensions. Higher petrochemical prices could still hit many goods made from oil.

The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.30%, signaling more caution on rates. Steady inflation at 2.38% and Fed rate at 3.64% keep the backdrop stable. Scrap prices climbed in North America and China yesterday, lifting risk appetite amid rising metals demand.[2]

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,724/oz, down $12.83 (-0.27%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,737/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold closed at **$4,724 per ounce**, down $12.83 or **0.27%** today, but it rose in **3 of the last 5 sessions**. Scrap sellers and recyclers should note lower spot prices mean slightly less payout per ounce right now, though the scrap gold recycling market keeps growing strong from high demand.[1][2] With Brent crude easing to **$96.45 per barrel**, energy costs for melting scrap dip a bit, but stay alert for oil rebounds tied to U.S.-Iran tensions.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $76.69/oz, down $0.9280 (-1.20%) day-over-day. Previous close: $77.61/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 61.6:1.

The silver market is showing **short-term weakness** with prices down 1.2% today, but strong fundamentals support longer-term demand.[1][4] Industrial uses—especially solar panels and electric vehicles—are driving a projected market deficit for the fifth year in a row, while recycled silver now accounts for over 17% of global supply as mining output slows.[1] For scrap sellers and recyclers, easing energy costs from lower oil prices help processing margins, though watch for price rebounds if supply concerns return.[4]

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,025/oz, down $45.00 (-2.17%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,070/oz. MoM: +5.0%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,472/oz, down $58.00 (-3.79%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,530/oz. MoM: +3.9%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $10,150/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $10,150/oz. MoM: -4.2%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 2 of last 5 sessions.

PGM prices are **down across the board today**, with platinum falling 2.2% and palladium dropping 3.8%, though lower oil costs at $96.45/barrel ease some recycling pressure.[2][4] The good news for scrap sellers is that 2025's higher PGM prices have already improved recycling economics, reversing years of hoarding by scrapyards—so even with today's dip, the market remains stronger than the depressed 2022-2024 period.[2][6] Watch for a rebound, but don't wait for the peak prices of 2021, as experts believe those may not return for decades.[1]

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.07/lb, down $0.0620 (-1.01%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.13/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper** closed at **$6.07 per pound** today, down 6 cents or 1%. This marks a drop in 3 of the last 5 sessions, easing with lower oil at **$96.45 per barrel** that cuts energy costs for scrap processing. Scrap sellers should watch for rebounds tied to supply fears from U.S.-Iran tensions, as long-term demand from green tech stays strong.[1][2][6]

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,597/tonne ($1.63/lb), down $0.0143 (-0.87%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.65/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum scrap prices fell to $1.63 per pound today, down about 1 cent or 0.87%. This drop matches the down trend in 4 of the last 5 sessions, helped by lower Brent crude oil at $96.45 per barrel that cuts energy costs for processing. Scrap sellers should watch for steady demand from recycling growth, but hold off selling if prices rebound on oil supply fears.[1][6]

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.