Smash Scrap Morning Metals Report – May 1, 2026

Prices as of May 01, 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 — $4,606/oz ▼
• Silver — $74.89/oz ▲
• PGMs — Rh ▲ $10,050 · Pt ▲ $2,010 · Pd ▲ $1,538
• Copper — $5.98/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.60/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3624

Smash Scrap Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Hold gold scrap as prices dip 0.5% but watch silver's 1% gain for a good sell window soon.
• PGMs — Sell platinum, palladium, and rhodium now with gains of 0.9%, 0.9%, and 0.5% to lock in profits.
• Copper — Sell copper scrap today after 0.8% drop locks in recent volatility gains before more swings hit.
• Aluminum — Hold aluminum briefly as 1.3% rise signals green energy demand but sell on next local yard spike.
• Big Picture — 5 of 8 metals higher today so prioritize selling PGMs and non-ferrous while markets stay strong.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $110.38/bbl, down $1.06 (-0.95%) day-over-day.

**Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk**

Brent crude oil fell to $110.38 per barrel, down 0.95% or $1.06 today. This drop adds to recent weakness from high global supply and softer demand. Tensions in Iran and U.S. policy shifts keep supply risks alive, but they fail to lift prices. Weaker auto output at 102.63 drags on industrial fuel needs, pressuring scrap metal costs lower.

The U.S. dollar eased to 90.82, helping metals hold ground. Rising 10-year yields at 4.42% and steady inflation at 2.46% signal tighter money ahead. ECB holds rates amid oil-driven inflation fears from Iran. Watch for more volatility—energy slides could hit scrap demand hard.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,606/oz, down $23.57 (-0.51%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,630/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**Gold** hit $4,606 per ounce today, down $23.57 or 0.51% from yesterday. It fell in 4 of the last 5 sessions, matching weaker energy costs like **Brent crude oil** at $110.38 per barrel amid high supply and soft demand. Scrap sellers, check melt values now before prices drop more.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $74.89/oz, up +$0.7230 (+0.97%) day-over-day. Previous close: $74.17/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 61.5:1.

Silver spot price hit $74.89 per ounce today, up 72 cents or 0.97% from yesterday. It rose in 3 of the last 5 days, with the gold-silver ratio at 61.5:1. Scrap sellers take note: softer oil at $110.38 per barrel signals weaker demand ahead, but refiner shortages may still lift scrap values soon.[1]

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,010/oz, up +$17.00 (+0.85%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,993/oz. MoM: +2.7%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,538/oz, up +$14.00 (+0.92%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,524/oz. MoM: +5.1%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $10,050/oz, up +$50.00 (+0.50%) day-over-day. Previous close: $10,000/oz. MoM: -0.5%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: → flat over last 5 sessions.

PGM prices rose today, with **platinum** at $2,010/oz up 0.85%, **palladium** at $1,538/oz up 0.92%, and **rhodium** at $10,050/oz up 0.50%. Platinum and palladium fell in 3 of the last 5 sessions, while rhodium stayed flat, but scrap sellers should sell now as rhodium tops $10,000/oz amid a growing recycling market. Falling Brent crude oil at $110.38/bbl adds weakness, yet high PGM values support good payouts from catalytic converters.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $5.98/lb, down $0.0465 (-0.77%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.03/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.

Copper prices fell today to $5.98 per pound, down about 5 cents, as softer global demand and weaker industrial activity continue to weigh on the market.[1] The metal has declined in 4 of the last 5 trading sessions, signaling downward pressure that mirrors the broader pullback in energy and commodities. For scrap sellers, this weakness suggests prices may stay under pressure near term, so locking in sales sooner rather than later could be smart timing.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,528/tonne ($1.60/lb), up +$0.0202 (+1.28%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.58/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum prices rose to $1.60 per pound today, up about 2 cents or 1.3%. This gain bucks the recent drop in 3 of the last 5 days and fits our view that green energy demand will lift values. Lower Brent crude oil at $110.38 per barrel eases costs but has not slowed this uptick for scrap sellers.

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.