The year-on-year fall in US weekly raw steel output continued in week-ending 25 April 2015. Data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) and monitored by Kallanish, show that the rate of fall in output slowed again however and capability utilisation also grew again week-on-week. This is the third week in a row of y-on-y improvement for the sector but a test is still to come as previously announced layoffs at steelmakers begin to kick in between the end of April and June.

In the week ending 25 April 2015, domestic raw steel production was 1,707,000 net tons while the capability utilisation rate was 72.2%. This was -7.3% lower than the 1,841,000nt produced in the week ending 25 April 2014, in which capability utilisation was 76.6%. Production for the week ending 25 April 2015 is up 3.1% from the previous week ending 18 April 2015 when production was 1,655,000nt and the rate of capability utilisation was 70.0%.

Adjusted year-to-date production up to 25 April 2015 was 28,128,000nt at a capability utilisation rate of 72.4%. This is down -6.9% down from the 30,224,000nt during the same period last year when the capability utilisation rate was 77.0%, AISI confirms.

Regional production for the week ending 25 April 2015 was led by the Great Lakes region with 611,000nt, AISI says. The Southern region produced 579,000nt whilst the North East region produced 215,000nt. The Midwest produced 207,000nt and the Western region produced 89,000nt.

The raw steel production tonnage provided by these figures is estimated, the AISI says. The figures are compiled from weekly production tonnage provided from 50% of the domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder. Therefore this report should be used primarily to assess production trends, the institute confirms.