Crude steel output in the first half of the year fell 3.0% year-over-year, with output rebounding in June after a decline.

The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that from January through June 2026, China's cumulative crude steel output totaled 499.95 million metric tons, down 3.0% year-over-year; pig iron output stood at 426.64 million metric tons, down 2.8%; and finished steel output reached 718.78 million metric tons, down slightly by 0.9%. On a monthly basis, crude steel output in June reached 83.67 million metric tons, up 0.4% year-on-year, ending the previous trend of consecutive declines; pig iron output for the month was 71.99 million metric tons, down 0.9% year-on-year, while finished steel output stood at 126.56 million metric tons, unchanged from the same period last year.

By industry, value-added in the mining sector fell 2.2% year-on-year in June, while manufacturing grew by 6.0%, indicating that downstream demand remains resilient. Among the 41 major industrial sectors, 29 saw year-on-year growth in value-added. In particular, value-added in the ferrous metal smelting and rolling sector rose by 3.3%, suggesting that overall production in the steel industry remains stable, though pressures from structural adjustments persist.

Industry analysts believe that the effects of crude steel production cuts became evident in the first half of the year, but the increase in June alone may have been driven by the acceleration of infrastructure projects and inventory restocking. Going forward, attention should focus on the interplay between production control policies and the recovery in demand.

Tags: Crude Steel Output,  Pig Iron Output,  Steel Product Output,  June Data,  Steel Market,  Year-over-Year Change,