SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – June 16, 2026

Prices as of June 16, 2026 at 07:30 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 — $4,345/oz ▲
• Silver — $70.39/oz ▲
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $8,000 · Pt ▲ $1,802 · Pd ▲ $1,340
• Copper — $6.49/lb ▲
• Aluminum — $1.53/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3982

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Use this pop in both to move clean gold jewelry and silver you’ve been holding, but don’t dump everything if you’re tight on high‑grade; last week I underestimated gold and silver’s upside, so respect this strength and feed it, not fight it.
• PGMs — Platinum and palladium are hot while rhodium is flat, so push Pt/Pd‑heavy cats and foils now and keep rhodium‑rich material selective unless you need cash today.
• Copper — Copper is barely up, but still strong, so use this green tick to ship heavier #1 wire, tubing, and bus bar, and keep borderline or dirty copper for a clearer move.
• Aluminum — Aluminum is inching higher off that pullback, so clean up and move straightforward extrusion, sheet, and cast; remember I downplayed the last drop, so don’t overstay on any problem alu inventory.
• Big Picture — With 6 of 8 metals higher and 2 flat, this is a “sell into strength, hold the weak spots” kind of day for sellers.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $79.98/bbl, down $3.65 (-4.36%) day-over-day.

US Dollar Index (DXY): 99.66, down 0.20 (-0.20%) day-over-day.

**Oil just took a hit. That eases some cost pressure, but it screams “volatility ahead,” not “all clear.”**

Brent is back under $80 after a sharp 4%+ drop, so energy input costs ease a bit for shredders and burners. Lower pump and diesel numbers help freight and torch work, but this kind of fast move can snap back just as quick. DXY is soft and the broad dollar is easing, so global buyers get a bit more breathing room on dollar‑priced metal.

Rates are still high and drifting up on the short end, with 2Y and 10Y both pushing higher while the Fed rate edges down. Real 10Y sits north of 2%, which is a headwind for gold and other “safe” assets and a sign the market still sees tight money. Inflation expectations are steady, not crazy, but you’re still in a world where risk is priced, credit isn’t free, and you don’t bet the yard on one view.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,345/oz, up +$34.09 (+0.79%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,310/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Gold’s still grinding higher, even while oil cools off.** Gold is around **$4,345/oz**, up about **0.8%** today and green in **3 of the last 5** sessions, helped by a softer dollar and shaky macro mood.[5][7] If you’re pulling gold from cats, jewelry, or boards, this is a decent tape to move clean, well-documented lots and let buyers fight for it instead of guessing with one offer.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $70.39/oz, up +$0.4975 (+0.71%) day-over-day. Previous close: $69.89/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 61.7:1.

**Silver just proved me wrong — instead of drifting down, it popped.** Silver is around **$70.39/oz**, up about **50 cents today**, and has risen in **4 of the last 5 sessions**.[7] With the dollar a bit softer and oil getting hit, this move looks more like a steady bid than panic, so if you’ve got silver contacts, jewelry, or e-scrap, it’s a decent time to check your bins and see what’s worth moving.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $1,802/oz, up +$39.00 (+2.21%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,763/oz. MoM: -8.9%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,340/oz, up +$18.00 (+1.36%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,322/oz. MoM: -3.9%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $8,000/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $8,000/oz. MoM: -19.4%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: → flat over last 5 sessions.

**PGMs are finally giving scrap sellers something to work with.** Platinum and palladium are both up again, with platinum around **$1,802/oz** and palladium near **$1,340/oz**, showing steady bids for cats and PGM-bearing scrap. Rhodium is holding flat near **$8,000/oz**, so overall the PGM basket is stable-to-firmer even while oil just took a hit, which helps you move material with more confidence.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.49/lb, up +$0.0100 (+0.15%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.48/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 4 of last 5 sessions.

**Copper is still firm at $6.49/lb, and the tape is leaning up.** It’s up about 1 cent today and has closed higher in 4 of the last 5 sessions, so sellers still have a hot market to watch.[1][5] With the dollar softer and oil under pressure, copper is getting support from the broader commodity board, not just its own momentum.[1] Clean, sorted copper still gets the best attention when buyers are competing.[4]

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,383/tonne ($1.53/lb), up +$0.0034 (+0.22%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.53/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

**Aluminum is quiet, but it’s edging up, not crashing.** LME aluminum is around **$1.53/lb**, up a hair today, with gains in **3 of the last 5 sessions**. With the dollar easing and oil under pressure, this small uptick looks more like a pause after the recent drop than the start of a big rally, so you can keep moving clean, documented aluminum and let buyers compete for the better loads.

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.