Steel production in China fell by 3.1% y/y in January–August

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): China’s steel production fell by 3.1% year-on-year – to 651.8 million tonnes in the period from January to August 2026. This was reported by SteelOrbis, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China (NBS).

Over the same period, pig iron production fell by 3.1% compared with the same period last year, to 563.4 million tonnes. Output of finished rolled steel over the eight-month period fell by 1.7% year-on-year – to 950.75 million tonnes.

Weak demand from end users of steel products remained the main factor holding back the market in August. Steel production in August stood at 74.6 million tonnes, which was 3.7% lower than in August last year and 3% lower than in July this year.

Pig iron production over the same period totalled 67.65 million tonnes (a decrease of 3.5% year-on-year and 1% month-on-month). Output of finished rolled steel reached 114.75 million tonnes, down 5.5% compared with August last year and 1.5% compared with the previous month.

As reported by GMK Center, steel production in China for 2025 fell below the 1 billion metric tonne mark, reaching its lowest level since 2018. Last year, the country produced 960.8 million tonnes of steel, down 4.4% compared with 2024. The decline was a consequence of the protracted crisis in the property market, which significantly curbed domestic demand for steel products.

It should be noted that between January and August, China exported 75.15 million tonnes of steel products, down 3% year-on-year. In August alone, the figure stood at 10.15 million tonnes (+0.3% month-on-month).  By the end of 2025, China had increased its steel exports by 7.5% year-on-year — to a record 119 million tonnes. Overseas shipments helped the country offset the slowdown in domestic demand.

Courtesy: www.gmk.center