U.S. Steel Output Rises 1.8% YoY Despite Weekly Dip
Steel News | 2025-12-30 04:31:23
The marginal pullback highlights short-term adjustments rather than a shift in underlying demand trends.
By Paul Ploumis
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): U.S. domestic raw steel output recorded a modest year-on-year gain in the week ended December 27, 2025, reflecting steady mill operations despite a slight weekly slowdown.
According to industry data, steelmakers produced 1.695 million net tons during the week, with an average capacity utilization rate of 74.0 percent. This compares with 1.665 million net tons and a 75.0 percent utilization rate in the corresponding week of 2024, marking a 1.8 percent annual increase in production.
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On a week-on-week basis, output declined by 1.7 percent from the 1.725 million net tons produced in the week ended December 20, 2025, when mills operated at a higher utilization rate of 75.3 percent. The marginal pullback highlights short-term adjustments rather than a shift in underlying demand trends.
Adjusted year-to-date raw steel production through December 27, 2025 reached 89.301 million net tons, up 3.4 percent from 86.398 million net tons in the same period last year. Average capacity utilization for the year stood at 76.7 percent, compared with 75.4 percent a year earlier.
By region, output was led by the Southern district, followed by the Great Lakes and Midwest regions.
POLL
What best explains the recent week-on-week dip in U.S. steel production?
Frequently Asked Questions
- How did U.S. raw steel production perform year on year?
Production increased by 1.8% compared with the corresponding week in 2024, indicating steady annual growth.
- Why did output decline on a week-on-week basis?
The decline was linked to marginally lower capacity utilization, reflecting short-term operational adjustments by mills.
- What does the year-to-date data indicate?
Year-to-date output rose 3.4%, supported by higher average utilization rates, pointing to sustained production momentum in 2025.
