US crude steel production rose by 1.3pc last week to 1.30mn nt (1.18mn mt) with capacity utilization of 58.3pc according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Production continues to rise every week since its low point in May where utilization had dropped to 51pc. Compared to the same week in 2019, AISI data reflects a 29.3pc decrease in production from 1.8mn nt and a 21.1pc dip in capacity utilization.
Year-to-date production trails by 19.7pc at 43.2mn nt compared to 53.9mn nt from the same period in the prior year. Total capacity declined by 1.37mn nt for the week ended July 18, 2020, compared with the same period in the previous year.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production in the Northeast declined by 43.3pc to 143,000nt followed by the Great Lakes that saw a dip of 52.2pc to 450,000nt. Output in the Midwest decreased by 51pc to 135,000nt, was down by 33.7pc in the South at 521,000nt and fell by 42pc in the West to 57,000nt.
Compared with the prior week, production increased in most regions barring the West where output fell 7pc from 61,000nt to 57,000nt followed by the South which saw a decline of 0.3pc from 523,000nt to 521,000nt
Crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled from weekly production from 50pc of the domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder.