Steel Products Prices North America

Weekly Raw Steel Production Steady

February 23, 2016

For the week ending February 20, 2016, the American Iron & Steel Institute (AISI) estimated the U.S. steel industry produced 1,699,000 net tons of raw steel, a 0.2 percent decrease over the previous week and a 0.4 percent decrease over the same week one year ago. The estimated capacity utilization rate is 72.7 percent, up from 72.8 percent last week and up from 72.4 percent this time last year. (Note that the capacity utilization rates in 2016 are based on new lower total capabilities with the removal of US Steel Fairfield from the mix.)

Estimated total raw steel produced for 2016 YTD is reported to be 13,100,000 tons, down 7.4 percent from the 14,140,000 tons produced during the same period in 2015. The average capacity utilization rate for 2016 YTD is estimated to be 69.2 percent, down from 74.4 percent for 2015 YTD.

Note that the AISI estimates capability for Q1 2016 to be 30.5 million tons versus 30.4 million tons for the same period last year and 31.4 million tons for the Q4 2015.

Week-over-week changes per district are as follows: Northeast at 200,000 tons, down 6,000 tons. Great Lakes at 630,000 tons, down 5,000 tons. Midwest at 191,000 tons, unchanged. South at 595,000 tons, up 3,000 tons. West at 83,000 tons, up 4,000 tons. Total production was 1,699,000 tons, down 4,000 tons.

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