Source: worldsteel.org
The World Steel Association reported that crude steel production across 70 reporting countries totaled 142.4 million tonnes in September 2026, representing a marginal decline of 0.2 percent compared to September 2025. The figure brings cumulative output for the first nine months of 2026 to 1,367.5 million tonnes, down 0.7 percent year-on-year.
Regional performance diverged sharply. Asia and Oceania remained the dominant producing region at 104.0 million tonnes, up 0.7 percent, driven largely by steady output in China and India. Africa posted the strongest growth rate at 10.6 percent to reach 2.2 million tonnes, while North America rose 3.4 percent to 9.3 million tonnes. In contrast, the European Union produced 10.1 million tonnes, down 5.0 percent, and the Middle East fell 20.4 percent to 3.6 million tonnes, reflecting the continued impact of regional instability on industrial activity.
Among the top ten steel-producing countries, China produced 73.6 million tonnes, essentially flat at 0.1 percent growth. India continued its upward trajectory with 13.9 million tonnes, up 1.9 percent. The United States produced an estimated 7.2 million tonnes, up 4.3 percent, while Japan declined 0.6 percent to 6.3 million tonnes. Russia produced an estimated 5.5 million tonnes, up 6.2 percent, and South Korea rose 3.6 percent to 5.2 million tonnes.
Vietnam stood out with 2.6 million tonnes, a remarkable 29.1 percent increase year-on-year, reflecting the country's booming construction and manufacturing sectors. Germany recorded the steepest decline among major producers at minus 13.0 percent, producing 2.6 million tonnes. Brazil produced 2.8 million tonnes, down 0.8 percent, and Turkey produced 3.2 million tonnes, up 0.8 percent.
The data underscores a global steel landscape where growth is increasingly concentrated in emerging markets, particularly in South and Southeast Asia, while mature economies in Europe face persistent headwinds from high energy costs and weak construction demand.
