Global steel production fell by 6.5% y/y in January

Global steel production in January 2026 decreased by 6.5% year-on-year to 147.3 million tons. Compared to the previous month, the figure increased by 5.5%. This is evidenced by the global ranking of steel-producing countries (69) by the World Steel Association.

Total steel production in the CIS countries + Ukraine during the month decreased by 8.6% y/y and 5.8% m/m, to 6.5 million tons, in particular, in Ukraine it decreased by 16.3% y/y, to 511 thousand tons.

According to World Steel, the top ten steel-producing countries in January were:

• China – 75.3 million tons (-13.9% y/y);
• India – 15.1 million tons (+10.5%);
• USA – 7.1 million tons (+3.3%);
• Japan – 6.8 million tons (-0.5%);
• South Korea – 5.6 million tons (+5%);
• Russia – 5.5 million tons (-7.4%);
• Turkey – 3.4 million tons (+5.8%);
• Germany – 3.1 (+15%);
• Brazil – 2.7 million tons (-1.4%);
• Iran – 2.6 million tons (+15.1%).

As reported by GMK Center, global steel production decreased by 2% year-on-year – to 1.8 billion tons in 2025. Total steel production in the CIS countries and Ukraine decreased by 4.4% year-on-year – to 81.3 million tons in 2025. China reduced its output by 4.4% y/y (960.8 million tons), India increased it by 10.4% y/y (164.9 million tons), and the US increased it by 3.1% y/y (82 million tons).