en.Wedoany.com Reported - Data from the World Stainless Association (WorldStainless) shows that global crude stainless steel production in the first quarter of 2026 increased by 2.5% compared to the same period last year.

In the first three months of this year, global crude stainless steel output reached 15.8 million metric tons, up from less than 15.4 million metric tons in early 2025.

Asia produced 85% of the world's stainless steel in the first quarter, with output of approximately 13.4 million metric tons, a year-on-year increase of 3.3%.

Asian steel mills, which currently dominate global production, rely heavily on nickel pig iron and other ore-based raw materials in their production, while mills in the United States and Europe use more stainless steel scrap.

U.S. output in early 2026 rose 2.3% year-on-year, but only 566,000 metric tons of stainless steel were produced in the first quarter, far below Asian output.

EU mills produced 1.5 million metric tons of this iron, nickel, and chromium-based metal in the first three months of this year. Although output was higher than that of the U.S., EU production fell 4.6% year-on-year.

The People's Republic of China, accused of having overcapacity in carbon steel, produced more than 60% of the world's stainless steel in the first quarter of 2026.

China's output grew by 4.3%, outpacing the rest of Asia and the United States. China's share of the global market rose from 61.3% in early 2025 to nearly 62.4% in the first quarter of this year.

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