India’s brass scrap market eased in mid-February after a volatile January, reflecting a correction following holiday-driven tightness and stronger melt programmes across plumbing and electrical sectors. Early-month strength pushed offers higher but buying cooled as fiscal and working-capital constraints limited purchases. Policy shifts and material substitution in plumbing lines created a tug-of-war between infrastructure-led demand and substitution-related erosion. Brass scrap traders and processors entered mid-February with cautious buying, balancing construction and electrical pull against rising inventories and port delays that shortened buying cycles. Downstream demand remains concentrated in plumbing/sanitaryware and electrical applications, with foundries and rod mills actively sourcing clean Honey-grade brass scrap. The plumbing and architectural fittings segment stayed robust, while the electrical sector continued to absorb a substantial share of demand. Foundries boosted brass scrap consumption in late January, aligning with a notable rise in brass bar usage. Supply-side dynamics combined rising logistics costs with easing import duties to produce mixed signals, as freight volatility and import-cost shifts influence flows.
