Global crude steel output declined by 6.5 percent year on year to 147.3 million metric tons in January 2026, according to data released by the World Steel Association.
Asia accounted for 107.6 million mt, marking an 8.6 percent decrease, largely driven by China’s output falling 13.9 percent to 75.3 million mt. Japan produced 6.8 million mt, down 0.5 percent, while India’s output rose 10.5 percent to 15.1 million mt. South Korea also recorded growth, with production increasing 5 percent to 5.6 million mt.
In the EU-27, crude steel production totaled 10.3 million mt, down 2.3 percent, while Germany stood out with a 15 percent year-on-year increase to 3.1 million mt. Turkey’s output climbed 5.8 percent to 3.4 million mt.
The CIS region produced 6.5 million mt, down 8.5 percent, with Russia accounting for 5.5 million mt, a 7.4 percent decline.
In North America, output slipped 0.6 percent to 9.2 million mt, though US production rose 3.3 percent to 7.1 million mt.
Elsewhere, Africa produced 2.0 million mt (+5.8%), while the Middle East recorded the strongest growth, up 12.6 percent to 4.8 million mt.
VietnamSteel by Hoa Sen Group
