Hey, friends, today is March 25th, 2025. Let's talk about something down-to-earth - what's the price of scrap copper? At the beginning, I'll give you a breakthrough point: copper prices have fallen again, and electrolytic copper has dropped 350 yuan in one go in the Yangtze River spot market, reporting 81280 yuan/ton. The recycling price of scrap copper has also plummeted with a "thump" sound, which is heartbreaking to hear. But don't worry, let's talk slowly, see what's going on in this market, and figure out how to sell that pile of old wires at a good price!

Let's talk about scrap copper first. The market trend is not quite right recently, and demand is a bit sluggish. Copper prices have fallen like divers. In Yunnan, the price for 1 # bright copper wire (the kind with high purity that can be used as a mirror) ranges from 74000 to 74400 yuan/ton, which is 100 yuan less than the previous day; Copper No. 2 (92-93% purity) costs 70550 to 70950 yuan/ton, and also dropped 100 pieces. The situation in Hunan is similar, with 1 # scrap copper priced at 73000 to 73400 yuan/ton, which is still 100 yuan less. Listening to these numbers, I doubt if the market is playing a "collective weight loss" game, losing 100 yuan a day, which is tough enough! However, Shanghai is an exception. The price of yellow miscellaneous copper has increased by 350 yuan, ranging from 56200 to 56500 yuan/ton. The price of clean communication line copper in Chongqing has also skyrocketed by 450 yuan to 91200 to 91500 yuan/ton. What's going on? Did friends from Shanghai and Chongqing secretly hoard goods?

I had a buddy who worked in a scrap station. Two days ago, he told me that "the copper price has dropped so much that I am embarrassed to quote customers. Yesterday, it was 74000, today it was 73900. When customers asked me what was wrong, I could only scratch my head and say, 'The market is the final say.'" He also said that recently, there are fewer people collecting scrap copper, and the inventory is almost bottoming out. Domestic recycled copper raw materials have declined for five consecutive weeks, hitting a five-year low. The export quotas in Southeast Asia and South America have been reduced by 10%, and the import costs have increased by 15%. Despite the tight supply, prices have not increased but instead decreased. What do you think? He said it may be due to weak downstream demand, with wire and cable factories and electronics factories holding their wallets and not saying a word, and the market being as cold as a refrigerator.

Looking at electrolytic copper again, the Yangtze River spot market fell 350 yuan to 81280 yuan/ton, and Guangdong spot market was even worse, falling 400 yuan to 81380 yuan/ton. Oxygen free copper wire and enameled wire have also suffered, with prices plummeting. But there is good news, the premium for copper has actually increased by 10 points to 110. What does this mean? Simply put, spot prices are a bit more expensive than futures, and some people may feel that the current price is low enough to start buying at the bottom. I wonder if this will save some costs for the cable factory? After all, copper prices have fallen, so they have less purchasing pressure. Maybe they can take on more orders, and our electricity bills can also increase less. Haha, it's purely YY!

The price of aluminum is not much better, A00 aluminum is 20660 yuan/ton, a drop of 130 yuan, and the market looks like a frostbitten eggplant. I heard that the Federal Reserve's meeting has caused some macro chaos, and domestic production is expected to increase. Downstream production has rebounded a bit, but demand is still weak. On the contrary, the price of zinc is quite tough, with 0 # zinc priced at 24180 yuan/ton and 1 # zinc priced at 24080 yuan/ton, both rising by 310 yuan, possibly due to a good start in the London zinc market. However, nickel, tin, and silver are all in trouble, especially tin. When the price drops by 4500 yuan, I doubt if the tin seller accidentally pressed an extra 0!

Speaking of which, I remember when I was a child and went to the scrap yard with my grandfather to sell copper. At that time, one pound was only a few yuan, but now one pound of scrap copper costs 37 to 38 yuan (74000 divided by 2000). The price has risen so much that I want to rummage through boxes and cabinets to find old wires! You said the price has dropped, should we take action now? The pile of broken wires on my balcony has rusted. Let's sell them and exchange some pocket money for a barbecue. But I'm afraid of another drop tomorrow. What if I lose money on the sale? Struggling like picking a partner!

Actually, the market fluctuations are quite normal, with ups and downs like roller coasters. Enterprises need to keep an eye on it, adjust their strategies flexibly, and not fall into it all at once. I see that although the price of scrap copper has fallen, some areas are still rising. What does this mean? There are significant regional differences! Shanghai rises, Yunnan falls, Chongqing surges, Hunan falls, it feels like playing stocks, you have to know the direction of the wind. As ordinary people, let's just watch the excitement and learn some tricks. Maybe one day we can make a fortune by selling scrap copper!

At this point, I want to ask you: Do you have any scrap copper at home? The price has dropped, will you sell or keep it? Let's chat in the comment section, and by the way, let me know what the scrap copper prices are in your area, so that I can calculate where to sell it for a good deal!