US copper scrap prices hold ahead of Thanksgiving holiday

Copper scrap discounts in the United States continued to be steady in the week to Wednesday November 22, with sources noting little changes week on week ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday

It’s “quiet on the copper front this week,” a source said on Tuesday November 21.

Fastmarkets’ assessment of the discount for copper scrap No1 copper, delivered to brass mill US remained at 7-10 cents per lb on Wednesday, flat since June 7. 

Fastmarkets’ assessment of the discount for copper scrap No1, delivered to refiners was also stable at 10-13 cents per lb on November 22, flat since October 4.

A second source also said that the market is “very quiet” with “no changes to spreads.”

Discounts to brass ingot makers were a bit more mixed on the week.

Fastmarkets’ assessment for the copper scrap No1 bare bright discount and No1 copper discount, delivered to brass ingot makers held at 4-6 cents per lb and 18-21 cents per lbs on Wednesday, respectively. 

The unchanged prices come amid new fluctuations on the Comex. The most-active December delivery Comex copper contract fell day on day to $3.763 per lb on November 22, but was up week on week from $3.7185 per lb on November 15. The price had risen to a weekly high of $3.814 per lb on Monday November 20 before declining again. 

Brass prices were also unchanged, though a brass source said prices had tightened slightly in the beginning of the week amid the upward pressure from Comex prices and export demand.

Fastmarkets’ assessment for No1 comp solids, delivered to brass ingot makers remained at $2.86-2.90 per lb on November 22, flat from the previous week.

Prices for copper scrap radiators, delivered to brass ingot makers also held at $2.34-2.37 per lb on Wednesday, stable from the previous week.

One buyer noted that “for the most part, [prices are] stable from last week,” and that while prices had seen some increases with the rising Comex rates on Monday and Tuesday there were largely back in line with the previous week’s assessments by November 22.

Understand the dynamics of the copper market

To understand the complex market conditions influencing price volatility, download our monthly base metals price forecast, including the latest copper price forecasts today. Get a free sample.

What to read next
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0346 Aluminium P1020A premium, in-whs dup Rotterdam, $/tonne that was published incorrectly on Thursday January 29.
Fastmarkets has corrected the rationale for its MB-AL-0299 aluminium 6063 extrusion billet premium, ddp Spain that was published incorrectly on Friday January 23.
Learn about the recent trends in AI metals costs and their effect on lithium, copper and aluminium prices for energy storage.
Following a consultation period, which closed on January 14, Fastmarkets will increase the frequency of its MB-BX-0016 Bauxite, cif China, price assessment to a weekly basis, from a monthly basis. Fastmarkets will also extend the timing of the price to include cargoes for arrival within 90 days and move the publishing time to 7pm Shanghai time on Friday. […]
European aluminium scrap and secondary ingot prices are on the rise, driven by a significant shortage of scrap. Trade sources indicate that low generation has constrained domestic supply, and this is happening even before the expected EU scrap export restrictions in Spring 2026.
The capacity to smelt an additional volume of more than 800,000 tonnes per year of copper was advancing toward production readiness, Fastmarkets heard on Monday January 19.