Global crude steel production fell for the fourth straight month in April, dragged down by lower output in China, the Middle East and Russia, even as India consolidated its position as the world’s second-largest steel producer with continued growth in output.World crude steel production across 69 countries stood at 153.4 million tonnes (mt) in April 2026, down 1.9 per cent year-on-year, according to data released by the World Steel Association. China, the world’s largest producer, manufactured 83.6 mt of crude steel during the month, a decline of 2.8 per cent from a year earlier. China’s output in the January-April period fell 4.1 per cent to 331.1 mt, reflecting continued weakness in its property and construction sectors.India produced 13.8 mt of crude steel in April — up 3.9 per cent year-on-year, while output during the first four months of 2026 rose 9.4 per cent to 58.7 mt. The country remained the second-largest steel producer globally after China and has continued to outperform global trends, supported by infrastructure spending and strong manufacturing activity.The United States posted one of the strongest gains among major producers, with output rising 9.4 per cent to 7.2 mt. Germany and Türkiye also recorded robust growth of 9.5 per cent and 9.4 per cent, respectively.Among regions, Asia and Oceania — which account for the bulk of global steelmaking — saw production decline 1.3 per cent to 114.2 mt. The sharpest contraction came from the Middle East, where output plunged 27.6 per cent to 3.7 mt amid geopolitical disruptions and weaker demand conditions.Production in Russia and other CIS countries, including Ukraine, fell 13.4 per cent year-on-year to 6 mt in April, while North America bucked the global trend with a 6.9 per cent increase to 9.4 mt.For the January-April period, global crude steel production declined 2 per cent year-on-year to 613.3 mt, indicating continued pressure on the industry from uneven demand recovery and geopolitical uncertainties.Published on May 24, 2026