SHANGHAI, May 30 (SMM) - According to SMM prices, domestic industrial-grade lithium carbonate prices rose for the third consecutive trading day and stood at 424,000-442,000 yuan/mt with an average of 433,000 yuan/mt and an increase of 1.88% or 8,000 yuan/mt from the low on May 19.
As for battery-grade lithium carbonate, after a slight increase of 1,000 yuan/mt in the previous trading day, the prices stabilised at 462,500 yuan/mt, and the prices of lithium hydroxide also stood stable.
According to SMM research, the recent supply of lithium carbonate has been stable, while the demand is picking up with the gradual improvement of the pandemic, especially in LFP materials. The market is still troubled with a slight oversupply after taking into account the imports.
In terms of market performance, industrial-grade lithium carbonate prices rose more significantly, and the demand to causticize lithium carbonate into lithium hydroxide is also high with firm prices of the latter. The sellers, however, are less willing to sell in light of recovering demand and low inventory caused by the extensive sold-off by mid and small-sized manufacturers and traders when the prices dropped earlier.
Lithium hydroxide is still in small surplus now, and the market game is still in place. Therefore, although the market is relatively more active recently, the prices of lithium hydroxide have remained stable.
As for the spot price of lithium pyroxene concentrate, according to SMM quotes, the spot price of spodumene concentrate (6%, CIF China) rose by $20/mt today to $4,720-4,870/mt, with the average price at $4,795/mt.
Lithium metal prices continue to fall, and fell again by 10,000 yuan/mt today to 2.92-3.05 million yuan/mt, with the average price at 2.985 million yuan/mt, down nearly 176,000 yuan/mt or 5.56% from the previous high.
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