US raw steel capacity utilization declined to 80.5% last week from 81.6% the previous week.
Production fell 1.4% to 1.862 million st during the week that ended Saturday, down from 1.888 million st produced the previous week, according to data released Monday by the American Iron and Steel Institute.
Last week's production was down 2.2% compared with the same week a year ago, when capability utilization was at 81.2% and production totaled 1.903 million st.
The AISI calculated adjusted year-to-date production at 83.5 million st, with a capability utilization rate of 80.3%. This is up 2.4% from the same period last year, when the utilization rate was 78.1% on 81.5 million st of output.
Last week's production totaled 209,000 st in the Northeast; 670,000 st in the Great Lakes region; 178,000 st in the Midwest; 729,000 st in the Southern district and 76,000 st in the Western region.
The weekly raw steel production volume AISI provides is estimated. The figures are compiled from weekly production data provided by 50% of domestic producers combined with monthly production data for the remainder.
