Lithium Price Weekly Review and Forecast (Mar 13)

SHANGHAI, Mar 13 (SMM) - Lithium carbonate prices continued to fall last week. Some major lithium salt manufacturers held back from selling in support of lithium carbonate prices. However, most others resorted to selling off due to excessive in-plant stocks and slow recovery in downstream demand. As a result, lithium carbonate prices remained on a persisting downward path. The uncertainty over demand recovery and bearish sentiment will together cause lithium carbonate prices to fall further.

The prices of lithium hydroxide declined further last week. The domestic prices fell at a slower pace with still sluggish downstream demand. At the same time, the huge price gap between lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide also prompted causticising plants to ramp up the output of lithium hydroxide and thus had to lower their quotations due to sufficient supply. The overseas prices of lithium hydroxide were higher but also followed the decline of domestic ones.