China's key steel mills raised crude steel and pig iron output in the first ten days of September 2026 from the previous ten-day period, while steel product output fell sharply on a settlement-related distortion.

Crude steel output at key mills tracked by the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) totaled 19.24 million tonnes in September 1-10, with daily output averaging 192,400 tonnes, up 2.0% from the preceding ten-day period, according to CISA data.

Pig iron output reached 17.95 million tonnes, or an average of 179,500 tonnes per day, up 1.7% from the previous ten-day period.

Steel product output came in at 17.94 million tonnes, averaging 179,400 tonnes per day, down 10.7% from the preceding ten-day period. CISA attributed the steep decline to some mills concentrating warehousing and settlement at the end of August. Excluding that factor, steel product output fell 8.2% from the previous ten-day period.

By region, daily crude steel output rose in four of the six major regions, with only northeast and northwest China posting declines. Northeast China's daily crude steel output fell 14,000 tonnes, or 6.5%, while the northwest was down 3,000 tonnes, or 3.5%.

Daily pig iron output also declined only in the northeast and northwest, falling 9,000 tonnes, or 4.5%, and 3,000 tonnes, or 3.9%, respectively.

Daily steel product output fell across all six regions, with the northeast posting the largest drop. Northeast China's daily steel product output declined 49,000 tonnes, or 24.4%, mainly due to a 47,000-tonne (-28.2%) decrease in Liaoning province.

CISA estimated national daily crude steel output at 2.41 million tonnes in the period, up 0.9% from the previous ten-day period, daily pig iron output at 2.18 million tonnes, up 1.6%, and daily steel product output at 3.67 million tonnes, down 4.1%.