AISI: U.S. Steel Shipments Rise 6.2% in May, Up 4.6% Year to Date

U.S. steel mill shipments increased in May, continuing to outpace last year’s levels as demand for flat-rolled steel products remained firm, according to the latest data released by the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI).

U.S. steel mills shipped 8.14 million net tons of steel in May, an 8.5% increase from 7.51 million net tons shipped in May 2025. Compared with April 2026, shipments rose 6.2% from 7.66 million net tons.

For the first five months of 2026, total steel shipments reached 38.99 million net tons, up 4.6% from 37.29 million net tons during the same period in 2025.

Shipment trends varied across major product categories. Year-to-date shipments of corrosion-resistant sheet and strip increased 13% compared with the first five months of 2025, marking the strongest growth among the principal steel products tracked by AISI.

Hot-rolled sheet and strip shipments rose 6% over the same period, while cold-rolled sheet and strip shipments edged 1% lower, indicating relatively weaker demand in that segment.

The latest figures suggest that U.S. steel producers continued to increase shipments through May despite mixed performance across individual product categories, with coated and hot-rolled flat products providing much of the year’s growth.

Source: AISI

SUNSHINE Spotlight: U.S. steel shipments continued to strengthen in May, driven by higher deliveries of corrosion-resistant and hot-rolled flat steel products, while year-to-date volumes remained above 2025 levels.