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    Analysis

    April 24, 2026

    Global steel output rises in March but still down from last year

    Written by Laura Miller

    World crude steel production for the 69 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) totaled an estimated 159.9 million metric tons (mt) in March. Production jumped 12.8% from a shorter February, but was down 4.0% from March 2025, according to newly released data.

    On a 12-month moving average (12MMA) basis through March, annual production has averaged 148.1 million mt per month over the last year, down 2.9% from the same period a year earlier (see Figure 1). Through September 2025, annual output had generally hovered between 152 million and 154 million mt for nearly three years, similar to pre-pandemic levels. The trend has since deviated, declining over the past six months.

    Laura Miller

    Laura Miller is a reporter and editor for Steel Market Update. She has held various editorial positions with steel industry publications, associations, and mills since 2007. She joined the SMU team in 2022. She is a member of the Association of Women in the Metal Industries and a past-president of the AWMI Pittsburgh Chapter. She holds a BA in Latin American Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.

    Read more from Laura Miller

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