[SMM Daily Review: Spot Lithium Carbonate Prices Fluctuate Upward on March 2]
SMM's battery-grade lithium carbonate index price edged up compared to the previous working day. In terms of futures movement, the most-traded contract opened and surged to a high of 179,500 yuan/mt before fluctuating and pulling back, breaking below the 170,000 yuan/mt level, and then gradually stabilized and rebounded to consolidate around 172,000 yuan/mt. In the afternoon, prices edged up again, mainly fluctuating around 173,500 yuan/mt until the close. The open interest of the most-traded contract decreased by about 3,200 lots compared to the previous trading day.
In terms of actual transactions, upstream lithium chemical plants maintained relatively firm quotes, with a weak willingness to sell spot orders. When futures prices dropped to 170,000 yuan/mt, some downstream material plants showed a slight recovery in purchase willingness, but most participants remained cautious, primarily adopting a wait-and-see approach. Overall, there were signs of a slight recovery in market inquiries and transactions.
