US raw steel production fell for a third week, according to American Iron and Steel Institute data released Monday.
In the week that ended Saturday, US mills produced 1.817 million st of steel, down 1% from the prior week's 1.835 million st. Capability utilization slipped to 75.8% from 76.6%.
Compared with the same week a year ago, steel output last week represents a 7.4% gain on the 1.692 million st yielded in the comparable week, when mills operated at a 68% utilization rate.
Steel mills so far in 2013 produced 79.53 million st, down 2.3% from the same period a year ago. Capability utilization so far in 2013 has been 77.2%, down from 76.1% by this time last year.
Steel production in the Northeast fell 5.7% week on week to 193,000 st from 204,000 st. Great Lakes steel mill output tumbled 4.7% to 623,000 st, down from 654,000 st. Southern mills manufactured 1.2% less on week, falling to 665,000 st from 673,000 st.
Steel production in the Midwest rose 12.3%, reaching 246,000 st from 219,000 st. In the West, steel output rose to 90,000 st from 85,000 st on week.
AISI determines its weekly raw steel production data based on weekly data from 50% of the domestic industry and estimates the rest using monthly production data.
