US crude steel production rebounded sharply last week after falling slightly in the previous two weeks, rising 2.1% to an estimated 2 million st (1.82 million mt) from 1.96 million st (1.77 million mt) a week earlier, according to data that the American Iron and Steel Institute released Monday.

In the week that ended Saturday, capacity utilization rose to an estimated 81.1% from 79.4% previously, the AISI said.

On a regional basis, the rebound was led by a recovery in production in the AISI's Southern grouping, where output climbed 6.17% to 671,000 st last week from 632,000 st a week earlier. The Southern grouping had seen a 9.71% decline in output in the previous week.

 

Elsewhere, production rose 1.17% in the Great Lakes to 689,000 st last week from 681,000 st a week earlier and was up 0.68% in the Northeast to 294,000 st from 292,000 st previously.

Output in the Midwest grouping fell 1.87% to 263,000 st from 268,000 st and slipped 2.22% in the Western grouping to 88,000 st from 90,000 st.

Last week's production and capacity utilization is the highest seen so far this year, matching the level of output seen in the week ended April 21.

In the first 19 weeks of 2012, crude steel production was an estimated 36.86 million st (33.43 million mt), up 7.6% from the 34.24 million mt produced in the first 19 weeks of 2011, the AISI said. Capacity utilization in the period rose to 78.5% from 74.1% a year earlier.

Production figures and revisions in the AISI's weekly reports are estimates, based on weekly production data from 50% of domestic producers and monthly data from the remainder, the AISI said.