1,858,000 short tons of US raw steel were produced in the week ended July 25, up 1.5% from the prior week and the highest weekly level in seven weeks.
That lifted mill capability utilization to 80.5% from 79.3% a week earlier, with output running 2.0% above the year-to-date weekly average and 4.9% above the same week in 2025.
40,000 short tons now separate weekly production from May’s six-year high of 1,898,000 short tons, underscoring how close mills are to this year’s peak pace.
The South led at 848,000 short tons, while the Great Lakes rose to 500,000 and the Northeast to 132,000; the Midwest and West both declined week over week.
Year-to-date production reached 53.64 million short tons, up 5.8% from the same period in 2025, pointing to a stronger domestic steel output trend in 2026.