Lead and zinc scrap prices continued to decline this week while scrap supply slowed due to reduced reduced peddler and industrial volumes and smelting demand also lessened following auto-manufacturer shutdowns and a general economic slump.
"We're trying to talk to as many of the yards as we can each day to see what is changing, but most are remaining open only to manage their industrial accounts. Not many of them are willing to open their doors to peddler trade," one US scrap consumer said. "You feel like the noose is tightening, but we've been fortunate and some of our outlets are still available."Fastmarkets assessed the lead scrap whole batteries buying price, delivered smelters US down by 8.8% at 29-33 cents per lb on Tuesday April 7 from 33-35 cents per lb on March 24."Things have slowed down significantly. People are gone and no one is...