Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – August 12, 2026

Prices as of August 12, 2026 at 07:32 AM CDT.

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 — $4,394/oz ▲
• Silver — $65.97/oz ▲
• PGMs — Rh ▲ $8,725 · Pt ▲ $1,763 · Pd ▲ $1,367
• Copper — $6.67/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.50/lb ▼
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3927

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Move any precious-metal-bearing scrap now, but stay tight on assay and paperwork. Both are higher, so the market is still paying for clean, documented material.
• PGMs — Sell known-code cats, cores, and converter lots while the bid tone is firm. Don’t sit on mystery loads; documented inventory and photo proof help buyers sharpen numbers.
• Copper — Book copper-heavy loads fast and keep grades clean. At $6.67/lb, the move is still positive, and mixed scrap gets punished when buyers get selective.
• Aluminum — Don’t chase this one today. With aluminum down, separate wire, extrusion, and breakage cleanly, then wait for a better window if you are not forced to move.
• Big Picture — 6 of 8 metals higher today; 6 higher (Gold ↑, Silver ↑, Platinum ↑, Palladium ↑, Rhodium ↑, Copper ↑); 1 lower (Aluminum ↓); 1 flat (Steel →).

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $89.16/bbl, down $0.0700 (-0.08%) day-over-day.

US Dollar Index (DXY): 99.79, up 0.19 (+0.19%) day-over-day.

**Energy is steady, but risk is not.** Brent is sitting near $89 a barrel, and that keeps freight and mill costs firm. The dollar is a bit stronger too, with DXY at 99.79 and USD/CAD at 1.3927, so export math stays tight for Canadian sellers.

Longer rates are still pressuring the board. The 10Y yield is up to 4.72%, while inflation expectations are only 2.27%, which leaves real yields high. That usually leans against metals, but oil and rates are still giving scrap a mixed, choppy backdrop.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,394/oz, up +$17.60 (+0.40%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,376/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Gold is still pushing higher, and that keeps scrap values firm for clean, well-sorted lots.** It’s at **$4,394/oz**, up **$17.60** on the day, and the five-day trend is up in **3 of the last 5 sessions**[1]. For sellers and recyclers, this is not a guess-and-wait market. The macro backdrop is still tight, with **Brent near $89.16/bbl** and risk still in play, so buyers are less likely to get loose on price[1].

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $65.97/oz, up +$1.09 (+1.68%) day-over-day. Previous close: $64.88/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 66.6:1.

**Silver is firm at $65.97 an ounce, up $1.09 today, and the trend has stayed up in 3 of the last 5 sessions.** For scrap sellers, that keeps silver-bearing loads in play, but the market is still moving with the broader precious-metals bid, not a clean solo run.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $1,763/oz, up +$25.00 (+1.44%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,738/oz. MoM: +10.1%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,367/oz, up +$20.00 (+1.48%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,347/oz. MoM: +10.8%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $8,725/oz, up +$50.00 (+0.58%) day-over-day. Previous close: $8,675/oz. MoM: +7.7%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**PGMs are firm, but this is not a free pass to sit on cats.** Platinum is at $1,763, palladium is $1,367, and rhodium is $8,725, with all three up today and trending higher in most of the last five sessions. Brent near $89 keeps freight and mill costs steady, so buyers still have to watch margins and price discovery matters.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.67/lb, up +$0.0375 (+0.57%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.64/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper is firm at $6.67/lb, up about 4 cents today.** That fits a market with steady energy costs and some risk still hanging around, while copper has also been up in 3 of the last 5 sessions. For scrap sellers, the message is simple: clean copper still has better pull than mixed loads, so grade it right and don’t leave money on the table.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,310/tonne ($1.50/lb), down $0.0231 (-1.52%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.52/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**Aluminum is soft today at $1.50/lb, down about 2 cents, but the bigger trend is still firm.** The price is off 1.52% on the day, yet it has finished higher in 4 of the last 5 sessions, so sellers should watch for steady demand and not chase the top.

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.