Updated
Updated · Steel Market Update · Aug 4
US Mills Lift Raw Steel Output to 1.87 Million Tons, Highest in 2 Months
Updated
Updated · Steel Market Update · Aug 4

US Mills Lift Raw Steel Output to 1.87 Million Tons, Highest in 2 Months

2 articles · Updated · Steel Market Update · Aug 4

Summary

  • 1.87 million short tons of raw steel were produced in the week ended Aug. 1, up 12,000 tons from the prior week and the strongest weekly pace since early June.
  • 81.0% mill utilization accompanied the gain, up from 80.5% a week earlier and 78.2% a year ago, underscoring sustained operating strength.
  • 55.51 million short tons have been produced year to date, 5.8% above the same period of 2025, while last week’s output ran 2.6% above the 2026 weekly average and 5.6% above a year earlier.
  • The South led regional growth with 860,000 tons, up 12,000, while the West added 8,000 and the Midwest 3,000; the Northeast and Great Lakes slipped.
  • That weekly rate sits just 28,000 tons below May’s six-year high of 1.898 million, suggesting US steel production remains near multi-year peaks after more than five months of strength.

Insights

Why is U.S. steel booming at 81% capacity while the rest of the nation's manufacturing sector struggles to keep pace?
How long can American steelmakers maintain this impressive growth before skyrocketing global excess capacity crashes the market?