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U.S. Steel Output Falls 5.1% as Southern Mills Lead Weekly Decline
U.S. raw steel production declined 5.1% in the week ended October 24, 2026, as mill capacity utilization fell to 76.8%. Despite the weekly slowdown, output remained 3.0% above year-earlier levels, while cumulative 2026 production maintained solid growth.
By Paul Ploumis
Published: October 27, 2026
Reporting week ended: October 24, 2026
Key Points
- Weekly production: ↓5.1% to 1.774 million net tons.
- Capacity utilization: Fell to 76.8% from 80.9% the previous week.
- Annual comparison: Output remained 3.0% above the corresponding 2025 week.
- Year-to-date: Production increased 5.3% to 77.405 million net tons.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): U.S. raw steel production declined during the week ended October 24, 2026, reversing the previous week's increase, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).
Domestic steel mills produced an estimated 1.774 million net tons, down 5.1% from the 1.870 million net tons recorded during the week ended October 17.
Capability utilization fell to 76.8%, compared with 80.9% a week earlier, a decline of 4.1 percentage points.
Despite the weekly pullback, production remained 3.0% higher than the 1.722 million net tons reported during the corresponding week in 2025.
Southern District Records Largest Production Decline
The Southern district remained the country's largest steel-producing region, contributing 726,000 net tons during the latest reporting week.
The Great Lakes followed with 514,000 net tons, while the Midwest produced 330,000 net tons.
The Northeast contributed 138,000 net tons, and the Western district recorded 66,000 net tons.
The regional figures reveal that the latest national slowdown was concentrated heavily in the South.
ScrapMonster Edge: Southern Mills Account for More Than the National Decline
The 5.1% national production drop becomes more revealing when examining regional changes.
Southern district output fell by 116,000 net tons, from 842,000 in the previous week to 726,000.
That decline exceeded the country's overall reduction of 96,000 net tons, as increased production elsewhere partly offset the losses.
- Southern district: ↓116,000 net tons.
- Other districts combined: ↑20,000 net tons.
- National total: ↓96,000 net tons.
Why it matters: The national slowdown was not uniform across U.S. steelmaking regions. For scrap suppliers, regional production patterns provide useful context for monitoring potential changes in mill purchasing activity, although output figures alone do not establish scrap demand or price movements.
Year-to-Date Steel Production Remains 5.3% Higher
Despite the latest weekly decline, the broader U.S. steel production trend remains positive compared with 2025.
Adjusted year-to-date output through October 24 reached 77.405 million net tons, up 5.3% from the 73.526 million net tons produced during the comparable period last year.
Average capability utilization stood at 79.0%, compared with 77.0% in 2025.
The figures indicate that the latest pullback has not erased the industry's cumulative production gains.
Data note: AISI weekly figures are estimates compiled from production reports covering approximately half of U.S. steelmaking capacity, supplemented by recent monthly data. The figures are intended primarily for assessing production trends.
