SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – April 20, 2026

Prices as of April 20, 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 — $4,809/oz ▼
• Silver — $79.52/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $10,100 · Pt ▼ $2,073 · Pd ▼ $1,522
• Copper — $6.03/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.61/lb ▼
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3671

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Sell gold and silver scrap now as both dropped over 0.4% and 1.5% to lock in value before further downside.
• PGMs — List platinum and palladium scrap lots today after 1.3% declines while rhodium stays flat to capture current bids.
• Copper — Hold clean copper scrap briefly as it fell 0.8% but long-term demand from electrification stays strong.
• Aluminum — Wait to sell aluminum scrap with just a tiny 0.04% dip signaling flat stability ahead.
• Big Picture — All markets down or flat with 0 of 8 metals higher so price conservatively on offers today.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $94.79/bbl, up $2.92 (+3.18%) day-over-day.

**Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk**

Brent crude oil jumped to $94.79 per barrel, up $2.92 or 3.18% today. This rise signals higher energy costs for scrap processors, who face energy-intensive operations.[1] The USD/CAD rate sits at 1.3671, while the 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.32% and inflation expectations eased to 2.36%.[data] Auto production dropped to 102.63, down 3.98 points, adding risk to scrap demand from vehicles.[data]

Tensions in the Hormuz Strait grew as vessels faced attacks, with Iran flexing control—this keeps energy risks high for global trade.[headline: Argus Media] North American scrap prices showed mixed moves last week, mirroring choppy metals trends amid vessel threats and steel earnings ahead.[headline: ScrapMonster] Higher oil lifts costs but supports metals if demand holds.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,809/oz, down $20.91 (-0.43%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,830/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold is near **record highs at $4,809 per ounce**, making this an excellent time for scrap sellers to cash in.[3][4] The scrap gold recycling market is booming, projected to grow from $16.88 billion in 2026 to $23.58 billion by 2030, driven by rising gold prices and strong buyer demand for available inventory.[2] However, energy costs are climbing with oil at $94.79 per barrel, which may squeeze processor margins and affect final payouts to sellers in coming weeks.[data]

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $79.52/oz, down $1.22 (-1.51%) day-over-day. Previous close: $80.74/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 60.5:1.

**Silver** fell to **$79.52 per ounce**, down **$1.22** or **1.51%** today, with a drop in 3 of the last 5 sessions. Scrap sellers should list now before prices slip more, as strong industrial demand from solar panels and EVs keeps long-term support amid rising energy costs from **Brent crude oil at $94.79 per barrel**. The gold/silver ratio at **60.5:1** shows silver lagging gold slightly.[1][2][3][4]

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,073/oz, down $27.00 (-1.29%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,100/oz. MoM: +7.7%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,522/oz, down $20.00 (-1.30%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,542/oz. MoM: +9.3%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $10,100/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $10,100/oz. MoM: -9.4%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 2 of last 5 sessions.

**PGM prices** dipped today for scrap sellers. Platinum fell to $2,073 per ounce, down 1.29%, and palladium dropped to $1,522 per ounce, down 1.30%, while rhodium stayed flat at $10,100 per ounce. Higher Brent crude oil at $94.79 per barrel raises energy costs for processors, so sellers should get multiple quotes now before auto demand risks grow.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.03/lb, down $0.0485 (-0.80%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.08/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper** scrap prices fell to **$6.03 per pound** today, down about 5 cents or 0.80% from yesterday. The price dropped in 3 of the last 5 sessions as scrap sellers see a short-term pullback amid high inventories. Higher energy costs from **Brent crude oil** at **$94.79 per barrel** may squeeze processor margins, but long-term demand from EVs and recycling growth offers hope for scrap pros.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,556/tonne ($1.61/lb), down $0.0006 (-0.04%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.61/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum scrap prices sit at **$1.61 per pound**, down less than a cent or **-0.04%** today after falling in 3 of the last 5 sessions. Higher energy costs from **Brent crude oil at $94.79 per barrel** and lower auto production add pressure on demand for scrap sellers. Long-term, recycling demand grows strong from autos and construction, but hold off selling until prices firm up.[1][2][7]

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 Recycling and let vetted Canadian buyers compete for your scrap.