US raw steel production continues week-on-week increase streak

US raw steel production totaled 1,668,000 net tons for the week ended February 27, 2010, a +0.5 percent increase from the previous week’s total of 1,660,000 nt, and an increase of +56.8 percent from the same time last year. Capability utilization for week eight of 2010 was 69 percent, up from 68.6 percent in week seven, and up from 41.8 percent from week eight of 2009.

The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) also reported adjusted year-to-date production through February 27, 2010 at 13,269,000 tons with a capability utilization rate of 66.2 percent, a +42.6 percent increase from the 8,604,000 tons during the same period of 2009, when the capability utilization rate was 43.9 percent.