US crude steel output increased by 26.8pc to 1.87mn nt (1.7mn mt) for the week ended Aug 7 from 1.48mn nt in the same week last year and capacity utilization moved up by 29pc to 84.8pc from 65.9pc according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Compared to last week, output ticked down by 0.2pc from 1.88mn nt at a capacity utilization rate of 85pc.
Production increased by 19.3pc to 56.43mn nt between Jan 1 and Aug 7 from 47.29mn nt during the same year-to-date period last year. The capacity utilization rate was 80.1pc from Jan 1 to Aug 7 versus 66.6pc during the same period in 2020.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production increases occurred in all regions with output increasing in the Northeast by 23pc to 158,000nt, in the Great Lakes by 36pc to 641,000nt, in Midwest by 34pc to 196,000nt, in South by 49pc to 802,000nt and in the West by 5.6pc to 75,000nt.
Compared to last week, production rose in all regions except the Midwest where output was down 1.5pc from 199,000nt and the South where production fell by 1.6pc from 815,000nt. Production increased in the Northeast by 1.3pc from 156,000nt, in the Great Lakes by 1.4pc from 632,000nt, and in the West by 1.4pc from 74,000nt.
The estimated crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled by combining weekly production figures from 50pc of domestic producers and monthly production data.