For the Quarter Ending June 2026
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in APAC
- In India, the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index rose by 13.9% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting robust import-driven restocking and tight yard availability.
- The average Stainless Steel Scrap price for the quarter was approximately USD 1492.00/MT based on contract and spot assessments.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price pressures eased as North American and Middle Eastern export offers increased availability.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast reflects short-term softness, but prices may firm if import flows materially slow.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend reflects elevated alloy and freight costs, creating cost floor for offers.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook remains subdued as monsoon season and tepid construction activity weigh on buying.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index fell in June as ample imports and softer mill demand pressured markets.
- Inventory and export demand dynamics tightened intermittently, supporting bids despite limited domestic scrap collection and port stocks.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in June 2026 in APAC?
- Higher seaborne arrivals and eased export offers increased availability, weighing on landed costs and pricing.
- Domestic mill purchasing slowed ahead of monsoon, reducing immediate demand and increasing merchant inventory burdens.
- Softening nickel prices and stable freight reduced replacement costs, eroding upward momentum for scrap quotations.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in North America
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price softened throughout May and June as improved collection rates from construction and industrial demolition projects increased domestic supply, while export demand from Asia moderated.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend remained elevated for processors due to higher labor wages, diesel fuel costs for collection fleets, and increased sorting labor requirements, which compressed yard margins despite falling scrap values.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast suggests further downward pressure in early Q3 2026, though a rebound could emerge if LME nickel prices recover or if Asian buyers return to the U.S. export market.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook is subdued; domestic stainless steel mills operated at 68–72% capacity due to weaker order books from automotive and appliance sectors, reducing their appetite for scrap feedstock.
- Major U.S. scrap processors reported yard inventory builds of approximately 18% over the quarter, as summer inflow peaks coincided with slower mill off-take, weighing on the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index.
- Export container bookings to South Korea and Taiwan dropped noticeably, with fewer tenders issued, while domestic consumers successfully negotiated lower monthly settlement prices.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in June 2026 in North America?
- Prices decreased in June 2026 primarily due to a steep drop in LME nickel futures (down ~6.2% in June), which directly pulled down the alloy-value component of stainless steel scrap pricing.
- Simultaneously, U.S. stainless steel flat-rolled mills announced production cutbacks for July, reducing their monthly scrap purchase requirements and creating a buyer's market.
- Higher than expected scrappage from decommissioned chemical plants and oil refineries along the Gulf Coast added unexpected tonnage to the spot market, pressuring the Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price further downward during June.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in Europe
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price trended lower over the quarter, mirroring weaker LME nickel and ferrochrome benchmarks, while domestic collection remained seasonally strong across Northern Europe.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend increased marginally due to higher natural gas prices for drying and briquetting operations, though this cost pressure did not translate into higher scrap prices amid abundant supply.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast indicates a cautiously bearish outlook for Q3, with potential stabilization if European stainless steel producers restart idled capacity following summer maintenance shutdowns.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook is weak; European stainless steel mills reduced operating rates to 65–70% due to sluggish end-user demand from the automotive and aerospace sectors, limiting scrap consumption.
- Rotterdam port inventories swelled by 14% over the quarter as steady imports from the U.S. and U.K. coincided with reduced domestic melting, reinforcing the downward Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index.
- The market saw fewer spot tenders from Italian and Spanish mills, while German processors reported slower turnover as buyers adopted a wait-and-see approach ahead of the summer holiday period.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in June 2026 in Europe?
- Prices decreased in June 2026 due to a combination of weak LME nickel pricing, which fell to a 10-month low, and reduced buying activity from European stainless steel mills preparing for annual summer shutdowns.
- Additionally, improved scrap generation from automotive end-of-life vehicles and construction demolition across Germany and France increased prompt supply, creating an oversupplied spot environment.
- A stronger Euro against the U.S. Dollar made European scrap less competitive for export to non-Eurozone destinations, redirecting more material into the already saturated domestic market and accelerating the decline in the Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price during June.
For the Quarter Ending March 2026
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in North America
- In North America, the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index moved upward quarter-over-quarter, supported by constrained prime industrial generation.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price traded at firmer levels due to limited dock-ready material and steady mill utilization.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast projects sustained strength, driven by nickel volatility and thin prompt industrial scrap flows.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend increased as higher energy and alloy surcharges raised collection and processing expenses.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook remains positive, underpinned by automotive and heavy equipment orders through Q2.
- Mills prioritized 316 and high-nickel grades, while 304 supply tightened on slower manufacturing scrap releases.
- Export appetite from India and Turkey softened late in the quarter, briefly capping further Index gains.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in March 2026 in North America?
- Prices increased in March 2026 due to a sharp reduction in industrial scrap arisings from delayed spring manufacturing ramp-ups, tightening immediate availability.
- Nickel futures rebounded mid-month on inventory draws from LME warehouses, directly lifting the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index.
- Domestic mills raised bid prices to secure truckload lots as restocking coincided with lower barge deliveries from the Midwest.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in APAC
- In India, the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index rose by 9.21% quarter-over-quarter, import tightness persisted.
- The average Stainless Steel Scrap price for the quarter was approximately USD 614.33/MT, CFR Mundra.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price firmed on constrained seaborne flows while Price Index pressured procurement.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast indicates continued firmness supported by freight surcharges and geopolitical disruptions.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend rose amid nickel and ferrochrome costs, raising production economics.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook remains constructive from cookware, appliances and infrastructure, sustaining tender activity.
- Export demand and inventories influenced Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index, moderating upside amid tight parcels.
- Mills scaled back 300-series purchases and focused on 400-series availability, reflecting comfortable inventories and restocking.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in March 2026 in APAC?
- Seaborne import disruptions and freight surcharges reduced cargo availability, increasing landed costs and spot premiums.
- Tight high-grade 304/316 feedstock and Indonesian nickel cost spikes constrained offers, cutting exportable scrap volumes.
- Mills curtailed 300-series purchases amid adequate inventories and muted downstream orders, tempering scrap demand.
Stainless Steel Scrap Prices in Europe
- In Europe, the Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index saw a modest quarterly increase, with regional divergence between Southern and Northern ports.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price stabilized after early-quarter weakness, supported by reduced intra-European cross-border flows.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Price Forecast indicates cautious firming, subject to energy cost trends and Asian buying interest.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Production Cost Trend rose from elevated sorting and shredding labor costs, compressing margins for collectors.
- Stainless Steel Scrap Demand Outlook is mixed—steady from German and Italian specialty mills, but softer from French construction-linked users.
- The Stainless Steel Scrap Price Index faced headwinds from slower Turkish deep-sea bookings, yet found support from limited Russian-origin scrap entry.
- Mills shifted preference toward 304 (18/8) over lower grades to manage nickel chrome ratio volatility.
Why did the price of Stainless Steel Scrap change in March 2026 in Europe?
- Prices increased in March 2026 as energy-intensive scrap processing reduced throughput, lowering overall yard inventories across Benelux and Germany.
- A weaker euro against the dollar lifted export parity prices, prompting domestic mills to raise bids to retain material locally.
- Anticipated maintenance outages at major stainless mills did not materialize, keeping Stainless Steel Scrap Spot Price under steady bid pressure.
