LiCarbonate Daily - Market Update for May 13

Today's lithium carbonate market continued its downward trend, impacting both futures and spot prices.

Futures Contracts: The main lithium carbonate 2407 contract dropped by 2.15%. It opened at 107,550 yuan per ton (~14,875.52 USD/ton) and closed at 107,100 yuan per ton (~14,813.28 USD/ton), with a trading volume of 129,937 contracts and an open interest of 198,230 contracts, up by 1,936 contracts from the previous day. Prices initially fell after the market opened but then recovered slightly, remaining stable until the close, ultimately finishing the day down.

Spot Prices: The SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate index stood at 109,586 yuan per ton (~15,157.12 USD/ton), down by 1,286 yuan from the previous working day. Spot prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate were in the range of 109,700 to 112,500 yuan per ton, averaging 111,100 yuan per ton (~15,366.53 USD/ton), reflecting an increase of 2,904 yuan. Industrial-grade lithium carbonate prices ranged from 106,000 to 107,500 yuan per ton, with an average of 106,800 yuan per ton (~14,771.78 USD/ton), down by 1,900 yuan.

Market Insights: The lithium carbonate market maintained the downward momentum from last Friday. Many lithium salt companies continued to adopt a conservative pricing strategy for scattered orders, with some adjusting prices slightly in response to market sentiment. Some downstream cathode companies made small scattered purchases in response to the price drop, resulting in a slight increase in overall market transaction volume. However, many downstream enterprises remain pessimistic about short-term prices and continue to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

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If you have any questions regarding the recent movement of lithium carbonate market (e.g. what caused it and how this can affect your business), or would like to know more comprehensive pricing info on Lithium Carbonate. Please feel free to reach out to me:

Robin He

SMM Li-ion Battery Materials Department

E: robinhe@smm.cn | T: +86-21-51595884