en.Wedoany.com Reported - Data from the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) shows that U.S. steel production declined for two consecutive weeks in late June 2026, with capacity utilization falling below 80%.

In the week ending June 27, 2026, domestic raw steel output totaled 1.842 million tons, up 2.8% year-over-year but down 0.5% from the previous week's 1.851 million tons. The prior week (ending June 20) also saw a decrease from 1.854 million tons in the week ending June 13.

The decline in output pushed mill capacity utilization to 79.8% for the most recent full week, below the White House's 80% benchmark. Earlier, capacity utilization had reached 82% or higher, coinciding with U.S. tariffs on imported steel.

Despite double-digit tariffs on imported steel, domestic producers still face competitive pressure from imports. Citing data from the U.S. Census Bureau, AISI noted that steel imports rose 11.2% month-over-month in May, though cumulative imports in the first five months were still down more than 26% year-over-year.

The less-than-1% drop in output may be linked to seasonal production patterns at automotive and other manufacturing plants, while construction activity typically remains robust in June and throughout the summer. The S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 55.1 in May, with 50.1 indicating an estimated expansion in manufacturing output. S&P Global said the reading, up from 54.5 in April, suggests the manufacturing economy is accelerating.