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United States Steel Corp. posted its second straight quarterly loss Tuesday as the global slowdown stifled orders and prices for the metal, and it forecast that its third-quarter results would stay in the red.

The largest U.S.-based steelmaker and other producers have been hurt by sharply lower orders from steel-intensive industries such as construction and autos. While demand and prices have picked up recently, they remain well below record levels reached last summer.

U.S. Steel lost $392 million, or $2.92 per share, in the three months ended June 30. That compares with a profit of $668 million, or $5.65 per share, in the year-earlier period. Quarterly revenue fell 68 percent to $2.13 billion.

All three of U.S. Steel’s business segments reported losses. But they narrowed from the first quarter at its European operations and North American flat-rolled business. Flat-rolled, or sheet steel, is used in autos and appliances. U.S. Steel’s tubular business — which makes pipes used in oil and gas drilling, reported a second-quarter loss after a profit a year earlier.

Still, the company’s bottom line improved over the first three months of the year, and it expects steel production to rise this summer from extremely low levels in the April-June period color business cards.

A rise in orders in recent weeks indicates customers may be replenishing their stockpiles of steel in North America and Central Europe, U.S. Steel CEO John Surma said. To meet the demand, U.S. Steel has begun to restart idled mills and raise prices in its flat-rolled and European businesses.

The company expects its mills to ramp up operations in the third quarter, but still sees each of its businesses posting an operating loss for the July-September period, Surma said.

U.S. Steel has laid off thousands of workers and temporarily idled plants since late last year, when steel demand began plunging amid the credit crisis and economic slowdown.

Earlier this month, Granite City Works restarted steelmaking operations.

Argus Research analyst Bill Selesky said the company’s outlook was somewhat cautious. "They don’t see demand picking up too much going forward, but … the good thing is they think operating rates are going to get a little bit better."

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