Global Copper usage declines around 3% excluding China

UNITED KINGDOM March 30 2016 10:39 PM

LONDON (Scrap Register): In 2015, world apparent usage is estimated to have remained essentially unchanged compared with that in 2014. Excluding China, world usage declined by around 3%, as per the latest figures from the International Copper Study Group.

Although Chinese apparent demand increased by around 3%, usage declined by about 2% and 7% in the EU and Japan, respectively, and by 47% in Russia (following the withdrawal of Russia’s cathode export tax in September 2014). 

On a regional basis, usage is estimated to have increased by around 2% and 4% in Asia and Africa, respectively while declining by around 1.5% in the Americas, 8% in Europe and 55% in Oceania.