Copper prices - Page 3

I noticed that too, they stared at my bucket for over 5 minutes looking for any possible reason to not pay #1. Of course this yard I use is a bunch of d*cks anyways. But now its worse. Some is justified, the rest is a power trip.

Most scrap yard workers are not to bright to begin with, a lot of them are on power trips, they forget they work there because they do not have a trade, or have the ambition to be a scrapper. They see the money we make working for ourselves compared to what they make and it makes them bitter

I sort of agree with you but we do have a couple of scrap yard workers here on the forum that are pretty capable by reading their posts. But they may be the exception instead of the rule. For my non-ferrous metal I've mostly gone to a small guy that has drive through service (actually pretty sweet). I've seen him go through a lot of guys over the years. A couple have risen to top and may be capable to take over if the main owner retires or suddenly dies but then again maybe not. When the current main owner isn't there anymore, I wonder if the place will survive??

I feel most of it is that the squeeze on prices is so great right now that there job is in jeopardy if they don't carefully look through what they are buying. You over pay 3 or 4 times a week I imagine that your going to get some heat from your supervisors. That being said, there could also be the culture of saying hey boss look how little I paid for this pile of good stuff... Who knows. Educate yourself and stand firm when you get questioned. I have waited for a yard owner to review my issue for 2 hours once. Was it worth my time? Probably not, but now they know that I know what I have and I'm not some junky looking for a quick buck.

Graph updated.

So I have been getting copper from work and stripping it for 2 years now. I strip 8AWG and up and put it all together in my bare bright bucket. I have never ever been questioned on what grade it should be... until this past weekend. Hey Earl... come look at this, what do I done buy this as?? They said #1 vs. Bare bright because strands were a little small on some, they also went to see if any it was enamel coated. So I dumped my bucket out right there and re-sorted all the "bad stuff" into a separate bucket. I wasn't about to let them just screw me over without at least wasting some of there time. Went home with about $15 less than I should have. Every time I go to this place they find something new to screw me over on. I always say that I will switch yards, and I think the time has finally come.

Graph updated.

I see guys stockpiling Al but not Cu only because I think Al is worth so little. Mostly see #2 and #3 Cu and Cu Al radiators. Seems a bit easier to come by than bare bright Cu. For me Cu pays the bills, all the aggregate stuff like motors and Al and wire just get stockpiled.

When the FED raises interest rates end of this year the dollar with strengthen. I believe they will. With that copper (and other metals) will drop. Don't sit on your stash waiting for a miracle. Sell Sell Sell

My NewZealand nonferrous prices are pretty much exactly what they were 14 months ago.

This is probably because exchange rates have shifted and our NZ$ is now worth US$0.65cents.
This time last year the NZ$ was worth US$0.90cents

But our Ferrous light gauge is worth nothing, against NZ$100 a ton last year
and HMS is worth NZ$100, against NZ$200+ ton last year.

Escrap has dropped, plus the US$ exchange rate, so I expect to only get 2/3rds or less of what I could have got !ast year.

I'm thinking $1.15-1.30 per pound by March. Perfect storm of strong dollar/low global demand is going to keep killing it.

Originally Posted by jiffy117

I'm thinking $1.15-1.30 per pound by March. Perfect storm of strong dollar/low global demand is going to keep killing it.

Yup. I have been guessing copper will settle at $1.20/lb for #2 copper.

Well, I threw in the towel. I was buying scrap copper wire from work for 2 years now. I just told them I could not continue. I was lucky to make 50 a month now (and dropping) which meant I went from around 15/hr when i started to 5 if I was lucky. I decided its better to concentrate on computer/ebay sales. Particularly Apple products at the moment. Having very good success with that. I will still keep an eye on it, but certainly not as much.

Graph updated. A pause in the free fall...

graph updated. speaks for itself

Where i can see the cooper graph?