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    Analysis

    February 5, 2026

    Ferrous scrap market chatter this week

    Written by Ethan Bernard

    Every month, SMU polls participants in the ferrous scrap market on a variety of topics. These include prices, business conditions, and tariffs, among others.

    This month’s responses arrived as the February scrap market was still settling. Initial reports to SMU show prices rose this month. And that was the general consensus among our most recent survey respondents. Of those, 84% expected February prices for prime grades to increase, while 16% expected them to be sideways.

    Ethan Bernard

    Ethan Bernard is managing editor for Steel Market Update. He previously worked for American Metal Market as a copy editor in the New York office for two years, starting in 2008. Later, he copy edited AMM’s monthly magazine on a freelance basis from 2015 until 2017. With experience in financial copywriting and textbook publishing, he holds a BA in Comparative Literature from UC Berkeley, and an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University. He can be reached at ethan@steelmarketupdate.com or 724-759-7871.

    Read more from Ethan Bernard

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