Global raw steel production fell to 151.4 million metric tons during June, a nearly -5.0% drop from the previous month and -5.8% from June 2024. The tonnages reported by several of the largest producer nations – but not including the U.S. steel industry – may indicate some effects of the 25% U.S. tariffs implemented March 12 on imports of steel and aluminum.
With the latest totals, global raw steel production for the first half of 2025 totals 934.3 million metric tons, or -2.2% less than the January-June 2024 total.
All the figures are supplied by the World Steel Association and cover raw steel production in 70 nations. World Steel’s monthly tracks raw-steel production in 70 countries. The trade association also tracks steel consumption, though it suspended is Q2 2025 short-term outlook for consumption citing the uncertain effects of the U.S. tariffs on global steel consumption.
China, the world's largest steelmaking nation and one of the largest exporters of semifinished steel, produce 83.2 million metric tons of raw steel during June, -4.1% less than in May and -9.2% less than in June 2024. For the current year to-date, Chinese steelmakers have produced 514.8 million metric tons of raw steel, a decline of -3.0% compared to January-June 2024.
India, which is a net importer of steel products even as its domestic output continues to rise, produced 13.6 million metric tons of raw steel during June, roughly even (+0.7%) with May and +13.3% higher than June 2024. India’s year-to-date raw steel output was 80.9 million metric tons through the first six months of this year, up +9.2% compared to 2024.
The world’s number three steelmaker is Japan, where June production slipped -1.5% from May to 6.7 million metric tons. That represents a -4.4% drop from June 2024, and brings Japan’s year-to-date output to 40.6 million metric tons, or -5.0% less than the comparable result last year.
Steelmakers in the U.S. produced 6.9 million metric tons (7.6 million short tons) during June, -1.4% less than during May but +4.6% higher than the June 2024 total. For January-June 2025, U.S. raw steel production totaled 40.2 million metric tons (44.3 million short tons), +4.6% more than during the first six months of 2024.
Estimated raw steel output from Russia was 5.6 million metric tons for June, -3.6% less than May and -7.4% less than June 2024. The six-month total for this year is estimated at 34.8 million metric tons, a -5.6% decrease from 2024.
South Korean steelmakers produced 5.0 million metric tons during June, -2.0% less than May and -1.8% less than June 2024. The 30.6 million metric tons produced in South Korea for the year to-date represents a -1.8% decrease from January-June 2024.
In the 27 nations of the European Union, June raw steel production totaled 10.4 million metric tons, -8.2% less than the June 2024 result and raising the region’s YTD total to 65.4 million metric tons, or -3.3% less than the comparable figure for 2024.
The EU total includes 2.7 million metric tons produced in Germany for June, -11.1% less than the May result and -15.9% less than the June 2024 total. During the first six months of 2025, German steelmakers produced 17.1 million metric tons, -11.6% less than during January-June 2024.
