What copper is paying per pound right now
Copper (bare bright)
$5.72/ lb
+1.39%
Updated 11:01:18 UTC
The per-pound number above reflects bare bright (the cleanest copper grade). Other grades pay a fraction of this — see Copper and Wire for grade-specific spreads.
How "per pound" actually gets calculated
The number on a yard's sign isn't arbitrary. It's a spot-minus calculation:
- COMEX spot copper — published continuously during trading hours
- Minus mill discount — the smelter takes a cut
- Minus yard margin — the operating cost and profit
- Minus grade discount (if applicable) — anything below bare bright
For a typical scale-house transaction, expect bare bright to pay roughly 85–95% of spot, with #1 copper at 80–90%, and #2 copper around 70–80%. Insulated wire grades drop further still.
Daily price drivers
Per-pound pricing moves with:
- Global copper inventories (LME and Shanghai warehouse stocks)
- Construction and EV demand
- Currency strength — copper is dollar-denominated
- Refining margins — when smelter capacity is tight, scrap discounts widen
For deeper price context, the Copper Prices Today page breaks down current macro signals.