US raw steel production declined 0.7pc compared to the past week and 2.1pc compared to the same period a year ago at 1.821mn nt (1.652mn mt). Capacity utilization declined to 78.7pc after eight weeks of sustained higher values.
Production decrased in the southern region and the Midwest by 4.7pc and 4.9pc respectively. The steel produced in the South constitutes 37pc of the country’s total production and the Midwest constitutes 11pc.
Production in the Great Lakes region, which constitutes 36pc of overall steep production, increased 2.8pc. Steel produced in the North East, that makes up the balance 12pc of the total raw steel produced in the US, also increased by 4.7pc.
Year-to-date raw steel production increased 2pc to 90.740mn nt compared to the same period a year ago. While the total year-to-date capacity utilization remains above 80pc at 80.1pc, 1.9pc higher than the raw steel production volumes last year, the total production capacity in the country is lagging by 598,000nt compared to the same time a year ago.