US raw steel production increased by 38.4pc to 1.87mn nt (1.69mn mt) for the week ended Jul 24 from 1.35mn nt in the same week last year and capacity utilization moved up 40.3pc to 84.6pc from 60.3pc according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Compared to last week, output inched up by 0.5pc from 1.86mn nt and a capacity utilization rate of 84.1pc.
Production increased by 18.4pc between Jan 1 and Jul 24 to 52.66mn nt from 44.46mn nt during the same year-to-date period last year. The capacity utilization rate stood at 79.8pc during this time frame versus 66.7pc during the same period in 2020.
Regionally, compared to the same week a year ago, production increases occurred in all regions with output in the Northeast up by 12pc to 149,000nt, Great Lakes rising by 36.3pc to 642,000nt, Midwest up by 55pc to 200,000nt, South increasing by 53.1pc to 802,000nt and West climbing by 19pc to 75,000nt.
Compared to last week, production rose in all regions barring the West where output was down by 5.1pc from 79,000nt and the South where production inched down by 0.12pc from 803,000nt. Production was up in the Northeast by 2.1pc from 146,000nt, in the Midwest by 0.5pc from 199,000nt, and in the Great Lakes by 1.6pc from 632,000nt.
The estimated crude steel tonnage provided by AISI is compiled by combining weekly production figures from 50pc of domestic producers and monthly production data.