Historical buy prices for copper, Inconel, stainless steel, titanium, aluminum, and specialty alloys. Based on real transactions and LME market data.
| Year | Bare Bright | #1 Copper | #2 Copper | #1 Insulated Wire | Market Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $2.45–$2.80 | $2.20–$2.55 | $1.90–$2.20 | $0.85–$1.10 | COVID demand drop, recovery Q3 |
| 2021 | $3.80–$4.20 | $3.55–$3.90 | $3.10–$3.45 | $1.40–$1.80 | Infrastructure boom, supply crunch |
| 2022 | $3.50–$3.90 | $3.25–$3.65 | $2.85–$3.20 | $1.25–$1.60 | Rate hikes, China slowdown |
| 2023 | $3.20–$3.60 | $2.95–$3.35 | $2.60–$2.95 | $1.10–$1.45 | Inventory correction |
| 2024 | $3.65–$4.10 | $3.40–$3.85 | $3.00–$3.40 | $1.30–$1.65 | EV demand, data center buildout |
| 2025 | $3.90–$4.30 | $3.65–$4.05 | $3.20–$3.60 | $1.45–$1.80 | AI infrastructure, grid upgrades |
| 2026 | $3.80–$4.20 | $3.55–$3.95 | $3.10–$3.50 | $1.40–$1.75 | Tariff uncertainty, steady demand |
| Year | Inconel 625 | Inconel 718 | Inconel 600 | Mixed Inconel | Market Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $5.50–$7.00 | $7.00–$9.50 | $4.50–$6.00 | $4.00–$5.50 | Aerospace shutdown, oil & gas drop |
| 2021 | $7.00–$9.50 | $9.00–$12.00 | $6.00–$8.00 | $5.50–$7.50 | Aerospace recovery, nickel rally |
| 2022 | $9.50–$13.00 | $12.00–$16.00 | $8.00–$11.00 | $7.50–$10.00 | Russia nickel sanctions, supply shock |
| 2023 | $8.00–$11.00 | $10.00–$14.00 | $7.00–$9.50 | $6.50–$9.00 | Nickel correction, Indonesia supply |
| 2024 | $8.50–$12.00 | $11.00–$15.00 | $7.50–$10.00 | $7.00–$9.50 | Aerospace demand recovery |
| 2025 | $9.00–$13.00 | $12.00–$16.50 | $8.00–$11.00 | $7.50–$10.50 | Defense spending, energy transition |
| 2026 | $9.50–$14.00 | $12.50–$17.00 | $8.50–$11.50 | $8.00–$11.00 | Nickel alloy demand, plant shutdowns |
| Year | 304 Stainless | 316 Stainless | 310 Stainless | Mixed Stainless | Market Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $0.22–$0.35 | $0.30–$0.45 | $0.45–$0.65 | $0.18–$0.28 | COVID demand collapse |
| 2021 | $0.45–$0.65 | $0.60–$0.80 | $0.75–$1.00 | $0.35–$0.50 | Nickel & chromium rally |
| 2022 | $0.55–$0.75 | $0.70–$0.95 | $0.90–$1.20 | $0.45–$0.60 | Russia sanctions on nickel/chrome |
| 2023 | $0.40–$0.58 | $0.55–$0.75 | $0.70–$0.95 | $0.32–$0.46 | Stainless oversupply from China |
| 2024 | $0.42–$0.60 | $0.58–$0.78 | $0.72–$0.98 | $0.34–$0.48 | Steady industrial demand |
| 2025 | $0.45–$0.65 | $0.60–$0.82 | $0.78–$1.05 | $0.36–$0.52 | Infrastructure & food processing demand |
| 2026 | $0.45–$0.65 | $0.55–$0.80 | $0.75–$1.00 | $0.35–$0.50 | Tariff impacts, steady manufacturing |
| Year | Grade 2 (CP) | Grade 5 (6Al-4V) | Grade 9 | Mixed Ti | Market Driver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $1.20–$1.80 | $3.50–$4.80 | $2.80–$3.80 | $1.00–$1.60 | Aerospace grounded, defense steady |
| 2021 | $1.80–$2.50 | $4.80–$6.50 | $3.80–$5.20 | $1.50–$2.20 | Aerospace recovery, Boeing/Airbus orders |
| 2022 | $2.50–$3.50 | $6.50–$9.00 | $5.20–$7.00 | $2.20–$3.20 | Russia titanium sponge sanctions |
| 2023 | $2.00–$2.80 | $5.50–$7.50 | $4.50–$6.00 | $1.80–$2.60 | Supply normalization, aerospace backlog |
| 2024 | $2.20–$3.00 | $5.80–$8.00 | $4.80–$6.50 | $1.90–$2.80 | Defense demand, medical devices |
| 2025 | $2.40–$3.20 | $6.20–$8.50 | $5.00–$6.80 | $2.00–$3.00 | Aerospace ramp-up, energy sector |
| 2026 | $2.20–$3.00 | $5.80–$8.00 | $4.80–$6.50 | $1.90–$2.80 | Steady aerospace, defense contracts |
Scrap metal prices are set by a combination of global commodity markets, supply and demand from industrial buyers and mills, and macroeconomic conditions. Here are the key factors that moved prices over the 2020–2026 period:
COVID-19 (2020): Industrial shutdowns caused a sharp demand drop across all metals in Q1–Q2 2020. Recovery began in Q3 as manufacturing restarted, with copper leading the rebound.
Infrastructure & EV Boom (2021–2022): The global infrastructure buildout and electric vehicle ramp drove copper to multi-decade highs. Nickel alloy prices surged as aerospace recovered and Russia sanctions created supply shocks.
Russia Sanctions (2022): Russia is a major supplier of nickel, titanium sponge, and chromium. Sanctions in 2022 caused immediate price spikes in Inconel, stainless steel, and titanium.
China Oversupply (2023): Chinese stainless steel production flooded global markets in 2023, suppressing stainless prices. Nickel prices also corrected as Indonesian nickel supply expanded.
AI & Data Center Demand (2024–2026): The buildout of AI data centers drove copper demand for power infrastructure. Specialty alloy demand remained strong from aerospace, defense, and energy transition projects.