SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – May 13, 2026

Prices as of May 13, 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 — $4,690/oz ▼
• Silver — $86.70/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▸ $9,975 · Pt ▲ $2,126 · Pd ▲ $1,476
• Copper — $6.63/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.65/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3710

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Hold off selling; minor dips match my correct call on gold's pullback, but silver's strength defies expectations—wait for rebound signals before unloading.
• PGMs — Sell palladium now to lock in small gains while platinum ticks up and rhodium stays flat; my rhodium bounce prediction hit, so watch for more upside there.
• Copper — Skip sales today on tiny drop; my recovery prediction still holds amid demand softening—patience pays as prices may firm up soon.
• Aluminum — Sell aluminum scrap immediately to capture 1.9% rise; strong demand beat my seasonal forecast wrong, so cash in before any reversal.
• Big Picture — Mixed day with 2 of 8 metals higher, 3 lower, and 3 flat—stay cautious in choppy trade.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $107.50/bbl, up $0.2000 (+0.19%) day-over-day.

### Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent crude oil rose to $107.50 per barrel. That's up 20 cents, or 0.19%. Higher energy costs can push up scrap metal prices. Firms like steel mills use more fuel. The USD/CAD rate sits at 1.371. This helps Canadian scrap exports stay strong.

US 10-year yields climbed to 4.42%. CPI hit 332.41, showing hot inflation. Fed rate holds at 3.64%. Risk is up with silver over $80 and copper near records. Watch for more gains in energy and metals. Fires at scrap yards add local supply worries.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,690/oz, down $26.97 (-0.57%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,717/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold prices dipped slightly today, falling to $4,690 per ounce as profit-taking continued after recent gains. Despite the small pullback, recycling demand remains strong thanks to record prices seen earlier this year, making this a good time for scrap sellers to move material. Even with today's modest decline, gold stays attractive for recyclers looking to convert old jewelry and industrial scrap into cash.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $86.70/oz, down $0.1010 (-0.12%) day-over-day. Previous close: $86.81/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 54.1:1.

Silver scrap prices sit at $86.70 per ounce today, down 10 cents or 0.12% from yesterday. This small dip follows a strong 7.9% rally since last week, with prices up in 3 of the last 5 sessions despite my wrong call for an early pullback. Scrap sellers and recyclers should hold steady as silver outperforms amid steady demand, with Brent crude at $107.50 per barrel adding some cost pressure.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $2,126/oz, up +$1.00 (+0.05%) day-over-day. Previous close: $2,125/oz. MoM: +2.9%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,476/oz, up +$3.00 (+0.20%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,473/oz. MoM: -5.4%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $9,975/oz, flat day-over-day. Previous close: $9,975/oz. MoM: -1.2%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↑ 1 of last 5 sessions.

Platinum rose to $2,126 per ounce, up 0.05%, while palladium climbed to $1,476 per ounce, up 0.20%. Both gained in 3 of the last 5 sessions. Rhodium held flat at $9,975 per ounce after a small bounce as predicted, giving scrap sellers steady options amid higher oil at $107.50 per barrel.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.63/lb, down $0.0045 (-0.07%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.64/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Copper holds steady at $6.63 per pound, down just half a cent or 0.07% today. It climbed in three of the last five sessions, showing some bounce despite softer demand. Scrap sellers, hold tight—higher oil at $107.50 per barrel may lift prices soon as recovery builds.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,643/tonne ($1.65/lb), up +$0.0307 (+1.89%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.62/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum prices climbed to $1.65 per pound today, up about 3 cents and nearly 2% in solid upward momentum. For scrap sellers, this is good timing—strong industrial demand from auto and construction sectors is pushing prices higher, making now a reasonable window to move material before any pullback.

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.