US crude steel production increased by 23.5pc to 1.86mn nt (1.69mn mt) for the week ended Sep 4 from 1.51mn nt in the same week last year. Capacity utilization in this period rose to 84.5pc against 67.4pc according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Compared to the previous week, however, output declined by 0.4pc from 1.87mn nt and a capacity utilization rate of 84.9pc.
During the year-to-date period from Jan 1 to Sep 4, production increased by 20.1pc to 63.9mn nt from 53.23mn nt during the same year-to-date period in 2020. The capacity utilization rate was 80.6pc from Jan 1 to Sep 4 against 66.6pc in the year-ago timeframe.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production increases occurred across all regions with output increasing in the Northeast by 28.3pc to 177,000nt, in the Great Lakes by 29.2pc to 650,000nt, in the Midwest by 22.9pc to 193,000nt, in the South by 38.7pc to 771,000nt and in the West by 4.1pc to 75,000nt.
Compared to last week, production dipped in the Midwest and South by 2.52pc from 198,000nt and by 5.2pc from 811,000nt, respectively. All other regions experienced growth with output increasing in the Northeast by 14.1pc from 152,000nt, in the Great Lakes by 1.8pc from 638,000nt, and in the West by 1.3pc from 74,000nt.
The estimated crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled by combining weekly production figures from about 50pc of domestic producers and monthly production data.