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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Mexico inflation accelerates to 3.8pc in Jan
Mexico inflation accelerates to 3.8pc in Jan
Houston, 9 February (Argus) — Mexico's inflation accelerated to an annual 3.79pc in January, driven by lighter-than-expected hikes from new and higher taxes introduced at the start of 2026 and faster core inflation. The consumer price index (CPI) picked up from 3.69pc in December, statistics agency Inegi said Monday, after slowing from 3.80pc in November. Inflation has trended higher since July, when it stood at 3.51pc — the lowest annual headline reading early 2020. The result came in below the 3.83pc median forecast in Citi Research's 4 February bank analysts survey, which Mexican bank Banorte said was "positive, especially considering the period's unfavorable seasonality and fiscal adjustments that impacted several goods." Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, sped to 4.52pc — its highest level since March 2024 — from 4.33pc in December, marking a ninth consecutive month above 4pc, the upper bound of the central bank's target range. Within core inflation, consumer goods accelerated to 4.56pc from 4.30pc in December, reflecting the bulk of revised excise taxes on tobacco, soft drinks and other items, while services sped to 4.48pc in January from 4.35pc the previous month, mainly from education and housing inflation. The central bank cited "the higher-than-anticipated trajectory for core inflation" in raising its inflation estimates for the next four quarters with its 5 February decision to pause the current rate cut cycle in the target rate to 7.0pc. Non-core inflation decelerated to 1.39pc in January from 1.61pc in December, remaining below 2pc in six of the past seven months. Agriculture prices — especially fruits and vegetables — were subdued through 2025 by favorable weather conditions caused by the La Nina weather climatological phenomenon. While La Niña persists for now, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center gives a 75pc probability ENSO will transition into a neutral position by March, with rising chances for negative impacts on Mexican agriculture, especially if this evolves into an El Niño event during the mid-year growing season. Annual inflation for fruits and vegetables contracted by 1.84pc in January, compared with contractions of 5.62pc in December and 7.79pc in November. Energy price inflation contracted by 1.16pc in January from a gain of 0.18pc in December. Inflation in the segment has remained contained under an agreement with fuel retailers to maintain a voluntary regular gasoline price cap of Ps24/l ($5.29/USG). Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum has said the agreement will be reviewed for renewal every six months, setting the next review to occur in March. By James Young Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s Pilbara Ports reopens WA ports: Update
Australia’s Pilbara Ports reopens WA ports: Update
Adds information about the reopening of other ports Sydney, 9 February (Argus) — Australian port authority Pilbara Ports resumed operations at Port Hedland at 12:00 Sydney time (04:00 GMT) on 8 February because Cyclone Mitchell passed the area. Port Hedland is a major iron ore export hub in Western Australia (WA). Pilbara Ports reopened the ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier and Varanus Island at 08:00 Syndey time on 9 February, it said today. The port authority cleared all berths at the export hubs , which handle LNG and iron ore exports, because of expected cyclonic weather on 6 February. Cyclone Mitchell has passed WA's iron ore-rich Pilbara region and moved to the southern part of the state, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Australian producers shipped 51mn t of ore out of Port Hedland in December 2025, up by 9.1pc on the year because of increased Chinese and South Korean shipments. No ships have left Port Hedland since 5 February, when the Liberian-flagged Marine Claudia left with 109,883t of iron ore lumps, data from marine tracker Kpler show. Some 15 ships are currently at Port Hedland. The Japanese-flagged Midnight Dream is expected to leave Port Hedland at around 21:50 Sydney time today, loaded with 173,986t of BHP ore, data from Kpler show. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s Pilbara Ports reopens Port Hedland
Australia’s Pilbara Ports reopens Port Hedland
Sydney, 9 February (Argus) — Australian port authority Pilbara Ports resumed operations at Port Hedland at 12pm local time (4am GMT) on 8 February because Cyclone Mitchell passed the area. Port Hedland is a major iron ore export hub in Western Australia (WA). Pilbara Ports has not reopened the ports of Ashburton, Cape Preston West, Dampier, and Varanus Island, it said on 8 February. It cleared all berths at the export hubs , which handle LNG and iron ore exports, because of expected cyclonic weather on 6 February. Cyclone Mitchell has passed WA's iron ore-rich Pilbara region and moved to the southern part of the state, according to Australia's Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Australian producers shipped 51mn t of ore out of Port Hedland in December 2025, up by 9.1pc on the year because of increased Chinese and South Korean shipments. No ships have left Port Hedland since 5 February, when the Liberian-flagged Marine Claudia left with 109,883t of iron ore lumps, data from marine tracker Kpler show. Some 15 ships are currently at Port Hedland. The Japanese-flagged Midnight Dream is expected to leave Port Hedland at around 9:50pm local time today, loaded with 173,986t of BHP ore, data from Kpler show. By Avinash Govind Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Governments must protect Americas steel: ArcelorMittal
Governments must protect Americas steel: ArcelorMittal
Pittsburgh, 6 February (Argus) — Global steelmaker ArcelorMittal called for countries across the Americas to tighten steel import restrictions to protect their domestic industries. ArcelorMittal said countries like Brazil, Canada and Mexico needed to toughen trade restrictions in line with US and European counterparts. The US increased its Section 232 tariff on imported steel to 50pc and extended the scope of the duties to derivative products in June 2025. The EU implemented its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on 1 January, imposing an additional tax on more carbon-intensive import products to ensure less carbon-intensive manufacturing on the continent is financially competitive. The EU also proposed a new steel safeguard quota which ArcelorMittal projected will combine with CBAM to reduce steel imports to Europe by 10mn t compared with 2024 levels. ArcelorMittal expected other governments to react to such a displacement with new trade restrictions of their own. The company noted that Brazil, Canada and Mexico are considering new import restrictions to protect their domestic steel industries, but that progress could accelerate. The hope for additional trade restrictions comes alongside various projects and returning capacity the company has planned across the Americas in 2026. ArcelorMittal expects 2026 profits to be supported by higher prices in North America in the aftermath of tightened imports, coinciding with increased contributions from its 1.5mn t/yr electric arc furnace at its Calvert, Alabama, mill as it ramps up through 2026. The mill started its first heat in June and expects to be fully operational by the end of 2026. But the company had no timelines on potential further expansions that were previously discussed. Brazilian steel prices could also rise in the second quarter if new import restrictions are implemented. ArcelorMittal was nearing completion of a 4.5mn t/yr direct-reduced iron pellet project in Serra Azul, with the first shipments coming in February, and began commissioning a 400,000 t/yr steel sections and bar mill in Barra Mansa. ArcelorMittal's Mexican operations, which collectively produce 1mn t/yr of long steel and 2.8mn t/yr of flat steel, are back on line after suffering outages in the fourth quarter. The long steel operations were back at the end of January, so it will only contribute for two months of the first quarter, while the flat steel production will contribute for the full quarter. By Aaron May Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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