SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – August 6, 2026

Prices as of August 06, 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.

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• Gold — $4,258/oz ▲
• Silver — $61.63/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $8,525 · Pt ▼ $1,730 · Pd ▲ $1,361
• Copper — $6.77/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.48/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.4026

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Gold is still pushing higher, so don't sit on clean precious loads waiting for a pullback; move them while the bid stays strong. Silver is softer today, so if you have silver-rich lots, price them fast and don't assume the last rally is still intact.
• PGMs — Palladium is up and platinum is down, so separate the mixed PGM stream and sell the stronger material first. Rhodium is flat, so hold your packing lists tight and avoid guessing on blended loads.
• Copper — Copper is higher again, so list clean copper now and keep contaminated or mixed wire out of the top pile. The trend still favors active selling, not storing prime copper for later.
• Aluminum — Aluminum is up a touch, so keep it moving and don't let inventory get stale. Pull clean grades, document them well, and sell before the next small move erodes the gain.
• Big Picture — 4 of 8 metals higher today, with base metals leading, so sellers should stay active and use the strength instead of waiting for a perfect top.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $80.42/bbl, up $0.9300 (+1.17%) day-over-day.

US Dollar Index (DXY): 99.75, down 0.21 (-0.21%) day-over-day.

**Energy is firm, but the fear trade is cooling off.**

Brent sits around **$80** and is up about a buck today, but still well below last week’s high near $89.[1][5] That takes some pressure off diesel and fuel talk, even as yards stay alert on trucking costs. Gold is still strong, but real 10-year rates near **2.4%** say the panic bid is calmer, not wild.

The U.S. dollar index is softer near **99.75**, even as the broader USD stays firm and USD/CAD holds around **1.40**.[9] Bond yields are easing, inflation expectations are steady, and the Fed is parked for now. Net result for you: fuel is no longer the main risk—macro is shifting back to demand, auto production, and how many loads you can move, not just what it costs to haul them.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,258/oz, up +$10.80 (+0.25%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,247/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**Gold is still climbing, so scrap sellers should pay attention.** Gold is around **$4,258/oz**, up about **$11** today and higher in **4 of the last 5 sessions**.[7][1] With the US dollar easing and Brent crude holding near **$80/bbl**, this move looks more like a steady grind than a panic spike, so you can use the strength to move old gold cats, boards, and jewelry while buyers stay confident on pricing.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $61.63/oz, down $0.4380 (-0.71%) day-over-day. Previous close: $62.07/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 69.1:1.

**Silver’s slipped to about $61.63/oz today, down roughly 44 cents, but it’s still holding decent ground.** The price is off a bit and the gold/silver ratio near 69:1 says silver’s cheaper against gold, yet it’s been up in 3 of the last 5 sessions, so you’re still getting workable numbers on silver contacts, bus bars, and e-scrap. With energy firm but fear trades cooling off, don’t sit on silver waiting for fireworks — keep material moving and let competition on your loads help reveal the real market.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $1,730/oz, down $3.00 (-0.17%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,733/oz. MoM: +6.1%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,361/oz, up +$10.00 (+0.74%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,351/oz. MoM: +9.3%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $8,525/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $8,525/oz. MoM: +3.3%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 2 of last 5 sessions.

**PGM prices are firm but not exploding, so scrap sellers need to stay sharp, not greedy.** Platinum is slightly down, palladium is nudging higher, and rhodium is flat but still very rich, which keeps converter values supported without a full-blown spike.[2][6] With Brent around **$80/bbl** and the fear trade cooling off, you’ve got a steadier backdrop to move well-documented cat loads and avoid sitting on big, unpriced piles of cores.[5][6]

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.77/lb, up +$0.0185 (+0.27%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.75/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 5 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper’s not flashy today, but it’s steady money.** Copper is around **$6.77/lb**, up about **2 cents** and green in **5 sessions straight**, so the trend is still your friend.[18] With energy prices calmer and the dollar easing, this slow grind up gives you room to move wire, tubing, and mixed copper without feeling rushed.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,257/tonne ($1.48/lb), up +$0.0033 (+0.22%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.47/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 5 of last 5 sessions.

**Aluminum keeps grinding higher, but this is a slow, steady move — not a moonshot.** Price is around **$1.48/lb**, up less than a cent today, and green 5 days in a row. With the dollar easing a bit and energy holding near **$80 Brent**, buyers aren’t in panic mode, but they’re still paying up for clean, documented aluminum.

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.