SMM Daily Comment: Spot Lithium Carbonate Edges Down on July 30

Published: Jul 31, 2026 16:49

[SMM Daily Review: Spot Lithium Carbonate Edged Down on July 30]

Today, SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price edged down slightly from the previous working day. In the futures market, the lithium carbonate 2609 contract opened lower at 143,900 yuan/mt today, briefly shot up to 144,400 yuan/mt after the opening before being knocked down by bears, then consolidated lower and broke below the average price line. In the morning session, it fluctuated weakly in the range of 142,000-143,500 yuan/mt. Near the end of the morning session, bears mounted a concentrated attack, driving the price quickly down to around 140,000 yuan/mt. In the afternoon, it consolidated at lows, and in the final session, bears pressed again, causing the price to accelerate its decline and hit a new intraday low, touching 137,800 yuan/mt. It finally settled down 4.84% at 137,800 yuan/mt, with open interest decreasing by 3,001 lots.

In the spot market, as it was the month-end, downstream procurement pace slowed down, with purchases mainly made on a dip-buying, as-needed basis. Upstream lithium chemical plants continued to hold spot order prices firm, and additional volumes under long-term contracts increased. Overall, market inquiries and actual transactions remained relatively stable.

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn
For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn
Related News
[SMM Analysis] Korea’s Battery Downstream Market: Diverging Trends Between NEV Recovery and Weak Cell Production
56 mins ago
[SMM Analysis] Korea’s Battery Downstream Market: Diverging Trends Between NEV Recovery and Weak Cell Production
Read More
[SMM Analysis] Korea’s Battery Downstream Market: Diverging Trends Between NEV Recovery and Weak Cell Production
[SMM Analysis] Korea’s Battery Downstream Market: Diverging Trends Between NEV Recovery and Weak Cell Production
In H1 2026, South Korea’s NEV sales and exports posted double-digit growth, while domestic battery output declined. BEV sales rebounded from a low base, but export growth was led by hybrids, limiting the impact on large-format battery and NCM demand. NCM cell output continued to fall, while LFP capacity expanded. LFP-based ESS is emerging as a new growth driver, but remains too small to offset the NCM decline.
56 mins ago
[MIIT Green Industry Plan (15th FYP)]
1 hour ago
[MIIT Green Industry Plan (15th FYP)]
Read More
[MIIT Green Industry Plan (15th FYP)]
[MIIT Green Industry Plan (15th FYP)]
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued the 15th Five‑Year Plan for Green and Low‑Carbon Industrial Development, which calls for consolidating and upgrading green competitive industries. It accelerates technological iteration and scenario expansion in key sectors such as new energy vehicles (NEVs), new energy equipment, and new‑type energy storage. It promotes innovative applications of next‑generation power batteries, automotive‑grade chips, and automotive operating systems, and expands the deployment of heavy‑duty NEV trucks in scenarios including trunk line transport, short‑and‑medium‑haul logistics, urban construction, and mining and port operations. It substantially increases the share of green electricity used in polysilicon production, breaks through design and manufacturing technologies for highly reliable wind turbines in desert‑Gobi‑wasteland, high‑altitude, and deep‑sea environments, and promotes the integrated application of wind‑solar‑storage equipment tailored to local conditions. It accelerates the development of large‑capacity, high‑safety, all‑climate, long‑life lithium‑battery products, extends high‑performance lithium batteries to applications in low‑altitude equipment, intelligent robots, electric vessels, electric construction machinery, and new‑energy agricultural machinery, and expands new‑type energy storage applications in areas such as coordinated power supply operation and grid stability support.
1 hour ago
【SMM analysis】 Lestored LFP vs. Hydrometallurgical Recycling: The 2026 Battle for Battery Waste Supremacy
1 hour ago
【SMM analysis】 Lestored LFP vs. Hydrometallurgical Recycling: The 2026 Battle for Battery Waste Supremacy
Read More
【SMM analysis】 Lestored LFP vs. Hydrometallurgical Recycling: The 2026 Battle for Battery Waste Supremacy
【SMM analysis】 Lestored LFP vs. Hydrometallurgical Recycling: The 2026 Battle for Battery Waste Supremacy
In 2026, as restored lithium iron phosphate (LFP) capacity expands from 150,000–160,000 tons to 170,000–180,000 tons, traditional hydrometallurgical LFP recycling companies are facing a wave of profit and competitive landscape reshaping driven by rivalry between different technological routes.
1 hour ago
[SMM Daily Review: Spot Lithium Carbonate Edged Down on July 30] Toda - Shanghai Metals Market (SMM)