China produced 79.7 million tonnes in July, accounting for 53% of world output and declining 4.0% compared to July, 2024. World crude steel production outside of China rose 1.9% on last July, with increases in India (+14.0%), Iran (+29.7%) and the US (+4.8%) offset by declines in Germany (-13.7%) and South Korea (-4.7%).
Crude steel production in the first seven months of 2025 was 1.4% lower than in the same period last year.
Hot Strip Mill at Tata Steel Ltd Kalinganagar, India from Worldsteel Image Library
Based on reported import licenses, US long products imports fell 36% from 375,000 short tons in July 2024 to 241,000 tons in July 2025. The decline was mainly due to lower rebar imports from Oman, Bulgaria, Egypt and Vietman, together with lower parallel flange sections imports from Spain, Germany, and Canada.
US long products imports in the first seven months of 2025 were 5% lower than in the same period last year. This was mainly the result of lower structural angles & channels (-54%), parallel flange sections (-13%) and light shapes (-36%) imports. In contrast, wire rod imports rose 12% between the first seven months of 2024 and the first seven months of 2025.
US long products import licenses
January 2018 to July 2025
Short tons
“Metal plastic tipped bar chairs supporting reo steel to give correct cover on a suspended slab with reinforced concrete masonry walls” by Bill Bradley User:[1], CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports fell 31% from 783,000 short tons in July, 2024 to 539,000 tons in July, 2025. The decline was mainly due to lower hot dip galvanized imports from Mexico, Brazil, Canada, South Korea and Vietnam, as well as lower hot rolled imports from Canada and Japan. Cold rolled imports also fell from Canada, Mexico and Australia.
US flat products imports in the first seven months of 2025 were 25% lower than in the same period last year. Imports of all flat product categories declined year-on-year with hot dip galvanized -37%, hot rolled -22%, cut plate -23%, and cold rolled -13%.
Worldsteel reported crude steel production in China at 83.2 million metric tonnes in June, 9.2% lower than in June, 2024. Chinese production in the first six months of 2025 was 3.5% lower than in the same period last year.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show net finished steel exports (exports minus imports) in June, 2025 at 9.2 million tonnes, 12.7% higher than in June, 2024. Net finished steel exports in the first six months of 2025 were 10.7% higher than in the first six months of 2024.
China monthly crude steel production
Thousand metric tonnes
HK YLD Yuen Long 落馬洲路 Lok Ma Chau Road 建築地盤 construction site view SZ 深圳 Shenzhen 福田 Futian 裕亨路 Yuheng Road 福田口岸商業廣場 Port Commercial Plaza in February 2024by MOKZHUNG LEONIXMA, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
China produced 83.2 million tonnes in June, accounting for 55% of world output and declining 9.2% compared to June, 2024. World crude steel production outside of China fell 1.3% on last June, with increases in India (+13.3%) and the US (+4.6%) offset by declines in Germany (-15.9%), Russia (estimated -7.4%), Iran (-15.5%) and Japan (-4.4%).
Crude steel production in the first six months of 2025 was 1.3% lower than in the same period last year.
Based on reported import licenses, US flat products imports fell 21% from 666,000 short tons in June, 2024 to 527,000 tons in June, 2025. The decline was mainly due to lower hot dip galvanized imports from Vietnam, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates.
US flat products imports in the first six months of 2025 were 24% lower than in the same period last year. Imports of all flat product categories declined year-on-year with hot dip galvanized -36%, hot rolled -19%, cut plate -30%, and cold rolled -10%.
