SMASH Recycling Morning Metals Report – May 21, 2026

Prices as of May 21, 2026 at 09:06 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 — $4,506/oz ▼
• Silver — $75.29/oz ▼
• PGMs — Rh ▼ $9,650 · Pt ▼ $1,926 · Pd ▼ $1,342
• Copper — $6.28/lb ▼
• Aluminum — $1.65/lb ▲
• Steel Scrap — $413.00/mt ▸
• Macro Backdrop
• CAD — USD/CAD 1.3751

SMASH Recycling Takeaways for Today

• Gold & Silver — Hold back larger lots if you can; sell only if you need cash, and focus on clean, sorted jewelry and coins to cut the hit from today’s softer prices.
• PGMs — With platinum, palladium, and rhodium all slipping, list catalytic converters and PGM lots only if you’re tight on space or cash; otherwise wait for a firmer day.
• Copper — With copper off about 5 cents, move only low-grade or problem material now and keep #1 bright and clean wire ready for the next bounce.
• Aluminum — Use the small uptick to clear out heavy aluminum loads (extrusion, sheet, cast) while the tape is still green, especially if you’ve been holding for a move.
• Big Picture — Mixed market with 1 of 8 metals higher and 6 lower, so be picky: sell rising aluminum and junky material, but stay patient on cleaner non-ferrous and precious where you can.

Macro Backdrop — Energy and Risk

Brent Crude Oil: $107.01/bbl, up $1.48 (+1.40%) day-over-day.

US Dollar Index (DXY): 99.38, up 0.41 (+0.41%) day-over-day.

Oil is pushing higher again. Brent crude is at $107, up about 1.4% today. That keeps fuel and freight costs firm, which can squeeze shredder margins and long-haul moves. Middle East risk is still baked into prices, but not spiking. Plan for steady-to-high diesel costs, not relief.

The U.S. dollar is also stronger. DXY is up 0.4%, and USD/CAD sits near 1.375. That hurts export buyers paying in weaker currencies and can cap upside for U.S. scrap prices. Bond yields keep grinding up while inflation expectations edge down, and the Fed is still on hold. Overall tone: higher funding and energy costs, stronger dollar, and a market that stays cautious on risk.

Gold — Safe-Haven Indicator

• Spot Gold (XAU): $4,506/oz, down $36.83 (-0.81%) day-over-day. Previous close: $4,543/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Gold is softer today, with scrap buyers seeing less lift at $4,506 an ounce, down $36.83 on the day. The 5-day trend is also weak, so sellers may want to watch for a better bounce before moving large lots.

Silver — Industrial & Precious Hybrid

• Spot Silver (XAG): $75.29/oz, down $0.3740 (-0.49%) day-over-day. Previous close: $75.67/oz.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Gold/Silver ratio: 59.8:1.

Silver is around $75.29/oz today, down about 37 cents, and has slipped in 3 of the last 5 sessions as the stronger dollar pressures prices. The gold/silver ratio near 60:1 still keeps silver rich versus gold, so scrap yards may trim buy prices a bit, while patient sellers might wait for a stronger bounce.

Precious Metals (PGM) — Screen Indicators

• Platinum (Pt): $1,926/oz, down $18.00 (-0.93%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,944/oz. MoM: -5.0%.
• Platinum 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Palladium (Pd): $1,342/oz, down $11.00 (-0.81%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1,353/oz. MoM: -12.1%.
• Palladium 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.
• Rhodium (Rh): $9,650/oz, down $50.00 (-0.52%) day-over-day. Previous close: $9,700/oz. MoM: -4.9%.
• Rhodium 5-day trend: ↓ 5 of last 5 sessions.

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are all slipping, with rhodium down five days in a row, even as oil pushes higher at $107.01 and the dollar stays firm. Converter prices are under pressure, so sellers may see softer bids today and might hold cleaner, high-PGM units if they can, while moving low-grade material to keep cash flowing.

Copper — Current Indicators

• COMEX/Spot Copper: $6.28/lb, down $0.0460 (-0.73%) day-over-day. Previous close: $6.32/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↓ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Copper is still high at $6.28 a pound, but it slipped about 5 cents today and has fallen in 3 of the last 5 sessions. With the dollar a bit stronger, sellers may see less upside right now, so it may be smart to watch the next move before dumping big loads.

Aluminum — Current Indicators

• LME Aluminum: $3,642/tonne ($1.65/lb), up +$0.0049 (+0.30%) day-over-day. Previous close: $1.65/lb.
• 5-day trend: ↑ 3 of last 5 sessions.

Aluminum is firm today at $1.65 a pound, up just a touch. It has also moved up in 3 of the last 5 sessions, so sellers are seeing better bid support, even as the broader market stays mixed.

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.