Analysis
June 23, 2026
Global steel production recovers 3% in May
Written by David Schollaert
Total raw steel produced around the globe rebounded 3% in May to an estimated 157.9 million metric tons (mt), according to the World Steel Association (worldsteel). May production was also about 8 million mt above last year’s average monthly rate, but weak compared with previous years.
On a 12-month moving average (12MMA) basis, annual production has averaged 148.8 million mt per month across the past year. This is the lowest rate recorded since November 2018, down 2.4% from the same period one year prior (Figure 1). Before last September, annual output had generally hovered between 152 million mt and 154 million mt for over three years, similar to pre-pandemic levels.
