2023 12 21 Monthly Press Release
2023 12 21 Monthly Press Release
2023 12 21 Monthly Press Release
Preliminary world refined copper balance during the first ten months of 2023 indicates an apparent deficit of about 51,000 t:
In developing its global market balance, ICSG uses an apparent demand calculation for China that does not consider changes in
unreported stocks [State Reserve Bureau (SRB), producer, consumer, merchant/trader, bonded]. To facilitate global market
analysis, however, an additional line item - Refined World Balance Adjusted for Chinese Bonded Stock Changes - is included in
the attached table that adjusts the world refined copper balance based on an average estimate of changes in bonded inventories
provided by two consultants with expertise in China’s copper market.
In the first ten months of 2023, the world refined copper balance, based on Chinese apparent usage (excluding changes in
bonded/unreported stocks), indicated a preliminary deficit of about 51,000 t. The world refined copper balance adjusted for
estimated changes in Chinese bonded stocks suggested a market deficit of about 32,000 t.
Copper Prices and Stocks:
Based on the average of estimates provided by two independent consultants, China’s bonded stocks are thought to have
increased by about 19,000 t in the first ten months of 2023 compared to the year-end 2022 level.
As of the end of November 2023, copper stocks held at the major metal exchanges (LME, COMEX, SHFE) totalled 227,224 t, an
increase of 37,719 t (+20%) from stocks held at the end of December 2022. Stocks were down at SHFE (-48%) and at COMEX
(-46%) and up at the LME (+97%).
The average LME cash price for November was US$ 8,173.95 /t, up 3% from the October average of US$ 7,939.66 /t. The 2023
high and low copper prices were US$ 9,436 /t (on 18th Jan) and US$ 7,812.50 /t (on 5th October), respectively, and the year
average was US$ 8,477.41 /t (-3.6% below the 2022 annual average).
(World Refined Copper Usage and Supply Trends table on next page)
Please visit the ICSG website www.icsg.org for further copper market related information.
2019 2020 2021 2022 2022 2023 2023 2023 2023 2023
Jan-Oct Jul Aug Sep Oct
World Copper Mine Production
20,669 20,768 21,301 21,950 18,089 18,225 1,871 1,877 1,884 1,927
(Concentrates & SX-EW)
World Copper Mine Capacity 24,328 25,197 26,237 27,021 22,429 23,433 2,402 2,410 2,339 2,425
Mine Capacity Utilization Rate(% ) 85.0 82.4 81.2 81.2 80.7 77.8 77.9 77.9 80.5 79.4
Primary Refined Copper Production 20,152 20,829 20,815 21,248 17,636 18,514 1,835 1,895 1,943 1,955
Secondary Refined Copper Production 4,007 3,843 4,149 4,153 3,433 3,706 361 378 387 383
World Refined Copper Production
24,159 24,672 24,964 25,401 21,069 22,220 2,196 2,274 2,330 2,338
(Primary & Secondary)
World Copper Refinery Capacity 29,565 30,216 30,733 31,426 26,118 26,819 2,744 2,749 2,666 2,761
Refinery Capacity Utilization Rate (% ) 81.7 81.7 81.2 80.8 80.7 82.9 80.0 82.7 87.4 84.7
World Refined Copper Usage 1/ 24,321 24,953 25,216 25,835 21,413 22,271 2,206 2,299 2,386 2,391
World Refined Copper Stocks
1,215 1,236 1,210 1,373 1,352 1,340 1,268 1,289 1,350 1,340
End of Period
Period Stock Change -12 21 -26 163 142 -33 -17 21 61 -10
Refined Copper Balance 2/ -162 -281 -252 -434 -344 -51 -10 -25 -56 -53
Seasonally Adjusted Refined Balance
-370 -80 17 -53 14 -48
3/
Refined Balance Adjusted for Chinese
-340 -171 -450 -561 -454 -32 -19 -27 -62 -52
bonded stock change 4/
Due to the nature of statistical reporting, the published data should be considered as preliminary as some figures are
currently based on estimates and could change.
1/ Based on Chinese and EU apparent usage.
2/ Surplus/deficit is calculated using refined production minus refined usage.
3/ Surplus/deficit is calculated using seasonally adjusted refined production minus seasonally adjusted refined usage.
4/ For details of this adjustment see the paragraph of the press release on “World refined copper balance”.