[SMM Cobalt Morning Meeting Summary] Pre-holiday purchase willingness remains subdued; falling raw material costs drag down prices across the industry chain
At the beginning of this week, prices across the industry chain remained weak. After refined cobalt futures fell, traders raised their spot-futures price spread quotes, but downstream buyers continued to purchase only on a need-to basis. In the intermediate product market, there were almost no inquiries or transactions, with holders indicating prices above $17/lb while some buyers would only accept below $13/lb, widening the divergence. Cobalt sulphate, cobalt chloride, and Co3O4 prices continued to pull back, with downstream procurement subdued and lower raw material costs weakening price support. Cobalt powder enterprises also lowered their quotes, and high-priced inventory delayed restocking by cemented carbide enterprises. Ternary cathode precursors saw production schedules trend lower due to weaker nickel and cobalt salt prices and insufficient demand for some orders. Ternary cathode material prices fell along with raw materials, and cathode plants mainly consumed existing inventory. LCO demand showed no seasonal boost, and prices remained at risk of further weakness. Overall, pre-holiday stockpiling was limited, and the market is waiting for inventory digestion and demand improvement.