Scrap
Overview
Argus provides comprehensive and detailed coverage of the global ferrous and non-ferrous scrap markets, with over 1,000 prices assessed by a global network of highly skilled market experts.
Argus’ strength lies in our ability to create appropriate methodologies for the trading dynamics of a specific spot market and to provide mechanisms for valuing scrap alloys.
Participants in the scrap industry rely on our extensive price data to act as an independent contract settlement mechanism, and use our powerful tools, like the Argus Alloy Calculator, to estimate the intrinsic value of highly engineered alloys.
Ferrous coverage
Argus offers a comprehensive regional view of the most active spot markets for ferrous scrap in regions around the world. Each price is available for direct comparison in multiple markets, with currency and unit of measurement conversions available to standardise charts and facilitate detection of favourable trade conditions.
Distinguished by either fob dealer or delivered to consumer inco terms, all prices are aligned with common industry specifications for that region. Explore the full list of scrap prices and specifications, including the length of history available on the Argus Metals platform for the grades assessed.
- Bundles
- Busheling
- Foundry/specialty
- Heavy melt
- Machine shop turnings
- Plate and structural
- Shredded scrap
- Tool steel
- Stainless and super alloys
- Alloy Calculator, where the current value of any alloy can be calculated by an intrinsic value formula in the absence of sufficient liquidity to produce a proper assessment
Non-ferrous coverage
Argus provides the full range of non-ferrous coverage from scrap price assessments on UBC, zorba, taint, tweak, and twitch products, as well as exchange data (30-minute delay LME and Comex prices are standard with Argus products) and global base metal premiums. Explore the full list of scrap prices in each non-ferrous category and visit the exchange data page to understand the unique value that Argus brings through its analysis of global exchange prices.
- Aluminium prices
- Aluminium alloy prices
- Brass/bronze prices
- Copper prices
- Lead prices
- Nickel prices
- Stainless and alloys
- Zinc prices
- Alloy Calculator, including over 200 predefined common alloys
- Exchange data
Highlights of North American coverage
Argus’ coverage of the North American scrap market focuses on spot market trading patterns within the most active regional domestic trading locations, as well as on export transactions. The full value chain is represented in the suite of Argus scrap assessments, from collected at yard to delivered to consumer prices:
- 8 containerised scrap price locations
- 14 consumer buying scrap price locations, including US and Canada
- 8 export yard scrap buying price locations
- 4 dealer selling scrap price locations
- 139 regional US and Canada non-ferrous scrap yard collection prices
- Prime and obsolete grades of scrap price assessments
- Mill and foundry grades of scrap price assessments: Titanium, stainless and scrap alloy pricing
- Southern US busheling and shredded weighted average assessments
Highlights of European coverage
Argus Scrap Markets provides context and intelligence to European domestic scrap markets to help steel mills, scrap suppliers, buyers and industrial manufacturers gain a greater understanding of the markets in which they operate. Argus produces over 50 European scrap prices assessments, including:
- German domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Spanish imported scrap prices
- UK domestic ferrous scrap prices
- Russia, including St Petersburg, dockside price
Highlights of Asian coverage
Argus carries Asian scrap prices from a variety of mature scrap-generating markets, and provides insightful analysis of deep-sea trades and short-sea trades. Argus covers the full scope of steel mill purchasing activity for electric arc furnace-based production, including stainless and engineered steels, in recognition of the global nature of many steel feedstocks purchased by mills across the world:
- Taiwan imported ferrous scrap prices
- India imported ferrous scrap prices
- Pakistan imported ferrous scrap prices
- Bangladesh imported ferrous scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported aluminium scrap prices
- China, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan imported copper scrap prices
Argus carries a variety of global scrap prices in each of its three core products — Argus Scrap Markets, Argus Ferrous Markets and Argus Non-Ferrous Markets. To discover the combination of products that will provide the most complete coverage to serve your company’s needs, contact us for a consultation. Information about Argus subscription options can be found here.
Stay ahead of the scrap metal markets
To be informed of relevant content, sign up to Argus Scrap Metal Market Highlights. Each newsletter issue provides key prices, selected news, downloadable insight papers, podcasts, and on-demand videos across the global scrap markets. Our coverage spans both ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, enabling you to explore the most active spot markets for scrap around the world.
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Wine decline boosts California scrap supply
Wine decline boosts California scrap supply
Pittsburgh, 20 March (Argus) — A drop in alcohol consumption among young adults is having the unexpected impact of driving ferrous scrap flows in California's wine country, as vineyards cut back on acreage. Scrap generated by northern California vineyards is a reliable part of the region's metal supply chain. The grapes grow on steel wires strung between 6-foot-tall steel "grape stakes," with a certain percentage of them recycled each winter after the harvest. A decline in wine drinking in the US has caused grape growers to reduce their planting acreage, leading to significantly more grape stake recycling. At least 30-40pc more grape stakes are entering the scrap market in the region for recycling this year compared to previous seasons, metal recyclers tell Argus . "We're being bombarded with grape stakes," a Bay Area scrap recycler said. An acre of cleared vineyard land yields about one short ton (st) of grape stakes, another northern California scrap recycler said. The total volume of grape stakes scrapped in the San Francisco Bay Area is unclear, but one source estimated as much as 50,000st this year. Wine drinking falls after pandemic spike About 54pc of US adults said last year that they drank alcohol, the lowest mark in at least 90 years, according to a poll by analytics firm Gallup. That figure was at about 60pc as recently as 2023, the poll found. The decline in alcohol consumption is among all demographics, but health-conscious young adults are driving the trend. Around 59pc of adults aged 18 to 34 said they drank alcohol in 2023, but that figure fell to 50pc in last year's Gallup poll. US wine consumption has been falling since a 2021 peak of 1.06bn USG, according to the Wine Institute, a California-based industry group. By 2024 consumption had fallen by 18pc to 870mn USG. California growers have responded to the drop in demand by planting fewer grapevines and removing others. Winegrape acreage has been falling in California since 2018, when the state's Department of Food and Agriculture estimated about 637,000 acres planted. Winegrape acreage fell by about 7pc to an estimated 590,000 acres in 2024. A new mapping project by the California Association of Winegrape Growers showed the downtrend in grapevine planting continued last year, with nearly 40,000 acres of vines removed between October 2024-August 2025. Those barren acres have added significant tonnage of grape stakes to California scrap yards' stockpiles. A regional scrap bright spot Sputtering consumer spending and weather disruptions in California curbed typical scrap supply flows this winter, such as from used cars and appliances. But grape stakes have been a bright spot, a handful of Bay Area recyclers said. Grape stakes are a niche grade of scrap lighter than a typical #1 HMS that can be processed in a variety of ways. They can be sheared and mixed into HMS 1/2 80:20, but the wires attached to the stakes can make processing them challenging. The stakes can also be blended in with shredder feed. Shredder feed delivered to San Francisco area scrap export yards has trended up this year, rising to $192/gross ton (gt) on average through 17 March, up by $13/gt from last year. The long-term pricing trend has been falling since a pandemic-era spike, when shredder feed reached a 2021 average of $260/gt delivered in the San Francisco area. Grape stake recycling is typically seasonal, but local scrap yards said they have received a steady stream of them throughout the past year. "We've been doing grape stakes nonstop for eight months," a Bay Area recycler said. "It doesn't look like it will stop anytime soon." By James Marshall Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China steel market muted after Two Sessions meeting
China steel market muted after Two Sessions meeting
London, 19 March (Argus) — Steel market reactions to China's Two Sessions — its paramount annual political and economic gathering — were muted, as policy signals met market expectations. The meeting conveyed a cautious economic stance, setting a 2026 GDP growth target of 4.5–5pc and a fiscal deficit ratio of around 4pc. Supply The "anti-involution" theme — a drive to curb excessive, self-defeating price competition across industries, including electric vehicles, solar and steel, by phasing out outdated capacity — resurfaced at this year's meeting. Introduced in July last year, the concept previously triggered a sharp rally in steel prices. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) released a 2025–26 work plan in September to stabilise steel industry growth. The plan called for precise control over capacity and output, while prohibiting capacity additions. It also seeks to promote market-based elimination of weaker participants to achieve a balance between supply and demand. China's crude steel output fell by 4.4pc to 960.81mn t in 2025, according National Bureau of Statistics data. Market participants largely attributed the decline to market-driven adjustments rather than administrative intervention. During this year's Two Sessions, the NDRC reiterated plans to further reduce capacity in steel, refining and other sectors. But the plans lack concrete production reduction targets and were viewed by some market participants as non-committal. China's crude steel output fell by 3.6pc on the year to 160.34mn t in January–February, despite the absence of mandatory curbs. Demand-side The real estate sector — historically the largest consumer of steel — saw no significant policy support. Official statements emphasised "controlling new supply and reducing inventories", suggesting a continued focus on derisking rather than stimulus. Infrastructure investment remains broadly stable. China plans to allocate 755bn yuan ($109.48bn) from the central budget, alongside Yn800bn in ultra long-term special government bonds. In addition, Yn4.4 trillion in local government special bonds will be issued to support major construction projects, replace implicit debt and clear government arrears. Overall, investment levels are largely in line with 2025. Downstream demand from the manufacturing sector also appears to have limited upside. Key consumers of flat steel — including automobiles, home appliances and machinery — face reduced policy support this year. Subsidies for automobiles and home appliances have been scaled back. The government work report proposed allocating Yn250bn in ultra-long special treasury bonds to support consumer goods trade-in programmes, down by Yn50bn from 2025. These funds serve as the primary subsidy pool, with autos and home appliances accounting for the bulk of eligible categories. Support for machinery is largely unchanged, with Yn200bn in special bonds earmarked for large-scale equipment upgrading. Outlook This year's Two Sessions indicated that Beijing is wary of aggressive stimulus measures for 2026. The steel sector is likely to rely more on mills self-regulating their output, alongside market-driven consolidation, to navigate the ongoing adjustment period. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Fed holds target rate on Middle East oil surge: Update
Fed holds target rate on Middle East oil surge: Update
Adds Powell comments, background. Houston, 18 March (Argus) — Federal Reserve policymakers kept their target interest rate unchanged Wednesday, citing uncertainty from "developments in the Middle East" prompted by the Iran war. The Fed's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept the federal funds rate at 3.5-3.75pc in the second meeting of 2026, following quarter-point cuts in September, October and December last year. "Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated," the FOMC said in its statement. "The implications of developments in the Middle East for the US economy are uncertain." In its latest median economic projections, released Wednesday, the Fed continued to pencil in one quarter-point rate cut this year, unchanged from the prior projection in December. Policymakers still see one more quarter-point cut in 2027. Still, the Fed views its favorite measure of inflation rising to 2.7pc to end this year from a prior forecast for 2.4pc. Policymakers see inflation falling to 2.2pc next year. They see GDP growth ending the year up an annual 2.4pc from a prior forecast of 2.3pc, with unemployment ending the year at 4.4pc, unchanged from the prior forecast. Regarding the inflationary shock of the US-Iran war, Powell said economists generally "look through energy shocks" and consider them transitory. He said the longer-term progress in bringing inflation down to the Fed's target of 2pc will be more accurately measured by how quickly the economy navigates the one-time impacts of Trump's tariffs. Still, Powell, said the net impact of the oil shock will "still be some downward pressure on spending and employment and upward pressure on inflation." Overall, he said, regarding the economy, "growth is solid, the inflation overshoot is mainly from goods (inflation) and the tariffs. The unemployment rate is little changed, with little growth in labor demand or supply," which he attributed largely to Trump's crackdown on immigrants. Buffeted by Trump's on-again/off-again tariff wars that make it harder for businesses to make long-term investment and hiring decisions, wide-ranging cuts to the federal bureaucracy and mounting deficit spending, the economy has shown clear signs of slowing. The US economy slowed to an annual 0.7pc pace in the fourth quarter of 2025, mostly on lower consumer and government spending prompted by the partial shutdown. It was sharply lower than the average 2.5pc pace in the first nine months of the year. Job growth slowed to about 247,000 in 2025, down from an estimated 1.5mn in 2024, according to Labor Department data. Powell, whose term in office expires on 15 May, said he would stay on as a Fed chair until his successor, former Fed governor and Trump nominee Kevin Warsh, is confirmed by the Senate. He added that he would also stay on at the board of governors of the Fed until a Justice Department criminal investigation into his congressional testimony regarding cost overruns at a Fed building project is "well and truly over with transparency and finality." A federal judge last week overturned Justice subpoenas related to the case, saying the purpose of the probe was to pressure Powell to lower rates or step down before his time in office expires in May. Justice has appealed the ruling. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Fed holds target rate on Middle East oil surge
US Fed holds target rate on Middle East oil surge
Houston, 18 March (Argus) — Federal Reserve policymakers kept their target interest rate unchanged Wednesday, citing uncertainty from "developments in the Middle East" prompted by the Iran war. The Fed's Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) kept the federal funds rate at 3.5-3.75pc in the second meeting of 2026, following quarter-point cuts in September, October and December last year. "Uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated," the FOMC said in its statement. "The implications of developments in the Middle East for the US economy are uncertain." In its latest median economic projections, released Wednesday, the Fed continued to pencil in one quarter-point rate cut this year, unchanged from the prior projection in December. Policymakers still see one more quarter-point cut in 2027. Still, the Fed views its favorite measure of inflation rising to 2.7pc to end this year from a prior forecast for 2.4pc. Policymakers see inflation falling to 2.2pc next year. They see GDP ending the year up an annual 2.4pc from a prior forecast of 2.3pc. By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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