Market Data
May 26, 2026
AISI: Raw steel output falls off multi-year high
Written by Ethan Bernard
US raw steel production slipped last week, falling from a multi-year high the previous week, according to the most recent American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) data.
Domestic steel mills produced an estimated 1,870,000 (st) of raw steel in the week ending May 23 (Figure 1). Production fell 1.5% from the prior week’s 1,898,000 st but was up 8.7% from a year earlier.
Capacity utilization stood at 81% last week vs. 82.2% a week earlier and 76.6% in the same week last year.
Adjusted year-to-date production through May 23 was 37,053,000 st at a capability utilization rate of 78.5%. That represents a 6.7% hike from 34,741,000 st during the same period last year. The capability utilization rate then was 76.2%.
Raw production was mixed in the five AISI-defined regions:
- Northeast – 139,000 st (up 6,000 st)
- Great Lakes – 510,000 st (down 23,000 st)
- Midwest – 319,000 st (up 6,000 st)
- South – 834,000 st (down 19,000 st)
- West – 68,000 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.
