London, August 22nd (Argus) - According to data from the World Steel Association, global crude steel production declined significantly in two consecutive months and then decreased slightly in July.
The crude steel output for the month was 150.10 million tons, a 1.3% decrease compared to July last year, marking the lowest output in the past seven months.
The main reason for the production decline was the decrease in output in Asia. Steel mills in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan carried out moderate production cuts, while Chinese steel manufacturers reduced their production by 4% to 79.6 million tons this year. The growth in the Indian steel industry offset some of the decline - Indian steel mills produced 14 million tons of crude steel in July, a 14% increase compared to the same period last year.
The EU's crude steel production decreased by 7% this year to 10.2 million tons. Germany's production dropped by 14% to 2.7 million tons, indicating that the country's steel mills reduced production to adapt to reduced orders and weak industrial prospects. According to the World Steel Association, French steel mills further reduced production, with crude steel output decreasing by 21% this year to 800,000 tons. However, enterprises in Southern Europe bucked the trend, with production in Spain and Italy increasing slightly this year.
Brazil's crude steel production decreased by 6% to 2.9 million tons.
African crude steel production declined by 2%, although Egypt and Algeria took different paths. Egyptian steel mills cut production by 16% to 810,000 tons, while Algerian production increased by 23% to 400,000 tons. Since August last year, Algerian crude steel production has continued to rise, growing month by month in 2025.
According to the World Steel Association, the United States' production increased by 5% to 7.1 million tons, while Mexico's production soared by 25% to 1.2 million tons, reflecting a stronger fundamental situation in the North American steel industry.
Iran and Saudi Arabia drove a 28% increase in Middle East production, the largest annual growth in the region, with crude steel production in these two countries increasing by 30% and 54% respectively.
