Global steel output edges up as African surge offsets Mideast drop

World crude steel production rose 1.7% year over year in June as surging African output and gains in Europe offset declines in the Middle East and Russia, according to data from the World Steel Association published July 23.

The 70 countries reporting to worldsteel produced 155.7 million metric tons in June, up from 153.1 million mt a year earlier, the data showed. The increase suggested resilient demand in key emerging markets despite ongoing weakness in China, the world's top producer, where output grew just 0.4% and first-half production fell 3% year over year.

Africa led regional gains, with output jumping 20% year on year to 2.2 million mt in June, driven by capacity expansions and rising domestic demand. North America posted a 5% increase to 9.5 million mt, while the EU saw production climb 4.6% to 10.8 million mt as European mills benefited from order books helped by a new import policy.

By contrast, Middle Eastern output tumbled 13.4% to 4 million mt, pulled down by the war between the US and Iran. Russia and other CIS countries, plus Ukraine, saw production slip 2.2% to 6.8 million mt as the Russia-Ukraine war, together with sanctions, reduced output.

Asia and Oceania, which account for nearly three-quarters of global output, produced 115.2 million mt in June, up 1.5% year over year. However, first-half production in the region fell 0.9%, dragged down by China's 3% decline.

India, the second-largest producer, saw June output rise 4.5% year over year to 14.1 million mt. The country's first-half production climbed 7.1% to 87 million mt, supported by robust infrastructure spending and manufacturing growth. Vietnam posted the strongest gains among the top 10 producers, with output surging 27.5% in June to 2.6 million mt as new capacity came online.

Germany saw production jump 9.5% in June to 2.9 million mt, while Turkey's output rose 14.7% to 3.3 million mt, reflecting stronger regional demand and competitive positioning. US production increased 3.5% to 7.2 million mt, with first-half output up 6.3% as domestic consumption remained solid.

For the first six months of 2026, total production from the 70 reporting countries fell 0.7% year over year to 931.5 mt, worldsteel said. The 70 countries accounted for about 98% of total world crude steel production in 2025.