Features
AISI: Raw steel production ticks higher
Written by Brett Linton
August 4, 2025
Domestic mill output increased last week, according to the latest data published by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). Production remains historically strong, holding near multi-year highs since early June.
Raw steel production was estimated at 1,782,000 short tons (st) of raw steel for the week ending Aug. 2 (Figure 1). Production increased 5,000 st, or 0.3%, from the previous week, just 5,000 st below the three-year high recorded six weeks ago.
Last week’s production was 4.2% above the year-to-date (YTD) weekly average of 1,710,000 st and 4.5% higher than the same week one year prior. YTD production now totals 52,346,000 st, up 1.1% from the same period of 2024. Prior to June, 2025 output had been trailing behind 2024 levels.
The mill capability utilization rate was 78.7% last week, up from 78.4% one week prior and 76.8% the same time last year. The capability utilization rate has averaged 76.4% so far this year.
Raw production increased week over week (w/w) in four of the five AISI-defined regions:
- Northeast – 123,000 st (up 10,000 st)
- Great Lakes – 561,000 st (up 2,000 st)
- Midwest – 234,000 st (up 2,000 st)
- South – 791,000 st (down 11,000 st)
- West – 73,000 st (up 2,000 st)
Editor’s note: The raw steel production tonnage provided in this report is estimated and should be used primarily to assess production trends. The graphic included in this report shows unadjusted weekly data. The monthly AISI “AIS 7” report is available by subscription and provides a more detailed summary of domestic steel production.
Brett Linton
Read more from Brett LintonLatest in Features
Final Thoughts: AMU brings the news
Usually, I write about steel in this column because, well, we’re Steel Market Update. But before I get to steel, I want to give a shoutout to my colleagues at Aluminum Market Update (AMU) – SMU’s new sister publication.
U.S. Steel sues Algoma over iron pellet shipments
U.S. Steel is suing Algoma over the Canadian flat-rolled producer's rejection of iron pellet shipments, arguing it has breached its contract.
Steel market chatter this week
Earlier this week, SMU polled steel buyers on an array of topics, ranging from market prices, demand, and inventories to tariffs, imports, and evolving market events.
US mill buys two cargoes of Brazilian pig iron down from Sept prices
SMU spoke with a large channel in Brazil who confirmed his company sold a cargo of 50,000 metric tons (mt) to a US buyer at $383/mt FOB Brazil. That's down $12/mt from the last cargo sold in September.
Final Thoughts
If I could change something, it’d be this: Political news would get more boring. And news about steel prices and steel demand would get a little more exciting.