In 2017, the deficit of refined copper in the world rose to 163,000 tons from 150,000 tons a year earlier, according to preliminary data from the International Copper Study Group. The lack of metal is fixed for the eighth year in a row. At the end of 2017, the output of refined copper amounted to 23 million 508 thousand tons, increased by 0,6% compared to 2016. At the same time, consumption increased by 0.7% to 23 million 670 thousand tons. In 2017, the leaders in increasing the production of refined copper in the world were China with a growth of 5% and India, where the recovery was 6%. The index of Chile, the world's second largest copper producer, fell by 7%. Japan cut output by 4%, the United States - by 12%. The demand for copper in the world without China increased by 0.5%. At the same time, the growth in demand in China by 0.9% was the main reason for the increase in world copper consumption in 2017.