Donald Trump’s tariffs have triggered a significant increase in US steel production, while Germany also records growth, but the European Union as a whole continues to decline. Global steel output fell 1.5% in the first five months of 2026, driven mainly by a 3.9% drop in China, the world’s largest producer.
According to World Steel Association data, global crude steel production reached 773.1 million tonnes from January to May 2026, down 1.5% year-on-year. China produced 415.5 million tonnes, a decline of 3.9%, due to weak domestic demand from the construction sector and increasing trade barriers such as the EU’s CBAM and new safeguard measures. Beijing has also intensified pressure to shut down older, inefficient mills.
The United States, benefiting from tariffs imposed during Donald Trump’s second term, saw output rise 6.8% to 35.6 million tonnes over the five months. In May alone, US production jumped over 15%, pushing the country ahead of Japan into third place among global steel producers. Japan managed only 33.6 million tonnes, down 0.7%.
China’s slowdown and the US surge
China’s steel output has been shrinking as the property sector languishes and export markets tighten. The country’s share of global production remains above 50%, but the gap with second-placed India is narrowing. India produced 72.9 million tonnes in the January-May period, up significantly, though still dwarfed by China’s volume.
The US steel industry has rebounded strongly, surpassing Japan after years of trailing it. In 2025, US output already exceeded 82 million tonnes, while Japan dropped to 80.7 million tonnes. This year’s trend continues, with US mills running at high capacity thanks to protected domestic prices and strong demand from infrastructure and manufacturing.
Germany’s growth cannot lift the EU
Germany, the EU’s largest steel producer, recorded a notable 8.8% increase in the first five months of 2026, reaching 15.7 million tonnes. This was the second-highest growth rate among the top 10 global producers, after Vietnam’s 26.8% surge. However, the European Union as a whole saw steel output fall 1.5% to 54.4 million tonnes, with May production down 0.4%.
Other notable shifts in the top 10 rankings: South Korea moved up to fifth place, overtaking Russia, which suffered a 10% drop. Turkey maintained its position ahead of Germany, with 16.5 million tonnes. Vietnam entered the top 10, replacing Iran, whose output collapsed after conflict with the US.
Asia and Oceania now account for three-quarters of global steel production, with 574.4 million tonnes out of 773.1 million tonnes in the first five months of 2026.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PTWP
