SMM Daily Review: Spot lithium carbonate prices continued to drift lower on September 16

Published: Sep 16, 2026 15:53

Today, SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot prices continued to drift lower compared with the previous trading day. The lithium carbonate 2701 contract opened lower at 129,300 yuan/mt today. After the open, bears kept up the pressure, and prices drifted lower along the average price line, hitting an intraday low of 124,000 yuan/mt in the morning session. Around midday, bargain hunting emerged at lower levels, and prices rebounded, briefly rising to around 127,000 yuan/mt in the afternoon before meeting resistance and pulling back again. Near the close, prices moved sideways around 125,800 yuan/mt, with open interest down 1,204 lots.

In the spot market, downstream buyers continued to stockpile at lower prices ahead of the September and October holidays. A small number of material producers remained cautious, with spot order purchase intentions below 125,000 yuan/mt. Upstream lithium chemical plants continued to hold spot order prices firm and held back from selling, though some high-priced offers softened slightly. Overall, market inquiries and actual transactions remained active.

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.

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