US raw steel production was 1,718,000 tons in the week ended Dec. 23, 2017 while the capability utilization was 73.7%, according to the AISI. Production was up 6.9% from the 607,000 tons in the same year ago week when  the capability utilization was 67.8%.  Production for the week ended Dec. 23, 2017 was up 1.2% from the previous week when production was 1,698,000 tons and the rate of capability utilization was 72.8%.

Adjusted year-to-date production through Dec. 23, 2017 was 88,469,000 tons at a capability utilization of 74.4%. That is up 4.4% from the 84,772,000 tons during the same 2016 period when the capability utilization was 70.5%.