SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – August 31, 2026

Prices as of August 31, 2026 at 07:31 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.

Jump to:

• Gold — $4,448/oz ▼
• Silver — $67.36/oz ▲
• PGMs — Rh ▲ $9,000 · Pt ▼ $1,796 · Pd ▼ $1,374
• Copper — $6.70/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.47/lb ▸
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3888

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Use today’s dip in gold to move clean gold-bearing loads; keep silver cats flowing but don’t chase yesterday’s price.
• PGMs — Stop holding back platinum and palladium; market is soft, so clear mixed PGMs with tight inventory and photo documentation.
• Copper — With copper grinding higher again, push buyers for competitive bids on non-ferrous and lock firm prices on good, graded loads.
• Aluminum — Aluminum is flat, so don’t rush; bundle aluminum with copper and brass to build stronger mixed loads and better BOLs.
• Big Picture — Mixed board today: some metals up, some down, some flat — use auctions and data, not gut, to time your loads.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $88.41/bbl, up $0.1200 (+0.14%) day-over-day.

US Dollar Index (DXY): 99.53, up 0.36 (+0.36%) day-over-day.

**Oil is still hot, the dollar is still firm, and that keeps risk tight.** Brent is up to **$88.41** a barrel, while the **DXY** sits at **99.53** and **USD/CAD** is **1.3888**. That mix usually keeps buyers picky and sellers under pressure to show real numbers, not guesses.

**Rates are not easing the squeeze much.** The **10Y yield** is at **4.67%** and the **2Y** is at **4.20%**, while inflation expectations have slipped to **2.31%**. Real rates stay positive, so money is still expensive and metals can stay choppy. When the dollar holds firm, the market does not hand out easy upside.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,448/oz, down $5.90 (-0.13%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,454/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**Gold is drifting lower again, not crashing, but enough to make buyers cautious.** Spot is around **$4,448/oz**, down a bit today and off roughly 3.5% from last week, with 4 down days in the last 5, while oil stays hot and the dollar stays firm.[user data] For you, that means less “panic bid” behavior on cats and gold-bearing boards — expect tighter numbers, and lean on clean inventory, photos, and clear packing lists so buyers can sharpen bids without you giving material away.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $67.36/oz, up +$0.9730 (+1.47%) day-over-day. Previous close: $66.39/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 66.0:1.

**Silver is firmer today, but it is still trading in a tight market.** At **$67.36/oz**, up **97 cents** and **1.47%**, silver has now closed higher in **3 of the last 5 sessions**. With **Brent at $88.41** and the **dollar still firm**, expect buyers to stay picky and pay up more for clean, well-documented loads.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $1,796/oz, down $23.00 (-1.26%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,819/oz. MoM: +9.2%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 4 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,374/oz, down $31.00 (-2.21%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,405/oz. MoM: +9.4%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $9,000/oz, up +$150.00 (+1.69%) day-over-day. Previous close: $8,850/oz. MoM: +9.1%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**PGM prices are chopping around, so you should treat cats like a trading book, not a piggy bank.** Platinum and palladium are both drifting lower, with most recent sessions in the red, so don’t get greedy holding loads for a pop that may not come. Rhodium is the bright spot, grinding higher, but with oil still hot and the dollar firm, risk is tight, so keep your price expectations realistic and lean on clean inventory, VIN lookup, and photo documentation to help buyers sharpen bids.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.70/lb, up +$0.0550 (+0.83%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.64/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper is firmer again, and that helps clean, documented loads.** It’s at **$6.70/lb**, up about **6 cents** on the day, with **3 of the last 5 sessions higher**. With **Brent at $88.41** and the **dollar still firm**, buyers still have to pay attention to the market, not just toss out guesses.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,245/tonne ($1.47/lb), flat day-over-day. Previous close: $1.47/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Aluminum is flat at $1.47/lb, but the tape is still a little better than it looks.** It’s up in 3 of the last 5 sessions, so clean, documented lots still have a shot at better price discovery. Keep your cats sorted, your photos tight, and your paperwork ready.

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.