Steel Products
AISI: Raw Steel Production Up After Three-Week Drop
Written by Becca Moczygemba
October 23, 2023
Domestic raw steel production rebounded in the week ended Oct. 21, according to data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) on Monday, Oct. 23.
US steel output increased to 1,703,000 tons, up 0.5% from 1,695,000 net tons a week earlier. Though the change was small, it’s a recovery from a three week slide. Production is also up 3.6% from 1,644,000 tons in the same period last year.
The mill capability utilization rate for the week was 74.1% compared to 73.8% the week prior. During the same week last year, the mill capability utilization rate was 73.7%. We have not seen an overall mill capability utilization rate over 80% since early July 2022.
Adjusted year-to-date production through Oct. 21 was 71,866,000 tons at a capability utilization rate of 75.8%. That’s a decrease of 1% from the 72,616,000 tons produced during the same time last year when the capability utilization rate was 78.8%.
Production by region is shown below with the week-over-week change shown in parenthesis:
- Northeast – 134,000 (up 6,000 tons)
- Great Lakes – 567,000 (down 5,000 tons)
- Midwest – 184,000 (down 10,000 tons)
- South – 746,000 (up 19,000 tons)
- West – 72,000 (down 2,000 tons)


Becca Moczygemba
Read more from Becca MoczygembaLatest in Steel Products

Final Thoughts
The difference: The spat with Turkey was a big deal for steel. This time, the 50% reciprocal tariff for Brazil – if it goes into effect as threatened on Aug.1 – hits everything from coffee and to pig iron. It seems almost custom-built to inflict as much pain as possible on Brazil.

CRU: US rebar and wire rod prices rise alongside S232 increase
CRU Senior Steel Analyst Alexandra Anderson discusses current market and pricing dynamics for long steel products in the US.
CRU: Excessive global supply could hit rebar mill investments in US
Following the onset of the war in Ukraine in March 2022, concerns about import availability and expectations of rising demand from President Biden’s Infrastructure Bill pushed US rebar prices to record highs. In response, a flurry of new mills and capacity expansions were announced to meet the rise in demand from growth in the construction […]

Steel buyer spirits tempered by soft spot market conditions
Steel sheet buyers report feeling bogged down by the ongoing stresses of stagnant demand, news fatigue, tariff negotiations or implementation timelines, and persistent macroeconomic uncertainty.

CRU: US stainless prices to rise on expanded S232 tariffs
Stainless prices in the US market will rise, following price increases by major US producers. Our base case scenario incorporates higher US prices in the near term, despite the initial negative reaction by the market. US stainless prices will go up in 2025 H2 and will stay elevated in 2026 as tariffs on stainless […]