Recycled Steel Prices Decline in April as Market Cools

Steel mills in the United States paid less for recycled steel in April after three months of steady price increases.
According to RMDAS data, mills paid $19 to $51 less per ton for key ferrous scrap grades compared to March.

The data, published by the Raw Material Data Aggregation Service (RMDAS) and compiled by MSA Inc., reflects a drop across all regions.
This includes benchmark grades such as No. 2 shredded scrap, No. 1 heavy melting steel (HMS), and prompt industrial composite.

At SuperMetalPrice, we closely track these fluctuations to help buyers and sellers stay informed in real time.

Shredded Scrap Suffers the Largest Drop

The North Midwest region experienced the most significant decline, where shredded scrap lost $51 per ton in April.
This region includes states like Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and parts of Indiana and Minnesota.

In the other two RMDAS regions, shredded scrap fell by $38 to $39 per ton, averaging a $43 decline nationwide.

Meanwhile, prompt industrial composite held its ground better than other grades.
It dropped by just $21 per ton, showing some price resilience in April.

No. 1 HMS Drops but Remains Stable Regionally

No. 1 HMS prices also fell across the board.
The average decrease across the U.S. was $30 per ton, with regional drops ranging from $29 to $32 per ton.

In the North Midwest, No. 1 HMS prices hit a low of $371 per ton, making it the lowest-priced grade for the month.

By contrast, prompt industrial composite in the North Central/East region remained the strongest.
Mills there paid an average of $480 per ton, indicating continued demand for higher-quality scrap.

Export Market Offers No Relief

External markets are also not showing signs of recovery.
Davis Index reported three U.S.-to-Turkey transactions this week that priced $2.70 per metric ton lower than earlier April deals.

This trend suggests that export demand is also cooling, adding downward pressure on domestic prices.

While this correction follows months of gains, many in the industry are now watching closely for signals of stabilization.

At SuperMetalPrice, we will continue monitoring global trade patterns and mill purchase behavior to provide the latest scrap pricing insights.