LiCarbonate Daily Insights - April 11th Edition

Published: Apr 11, 2024 17:32

Source: SMM

Save

Today's lithium carbonate market remained stable with the SMM index at 112,316 yuan/ton (~15,513.26 USD/ton), while futures dropped by 3.06%, reflecting cautious market optimism.

Market Pulse: Stability Amid Adjustments

Today's lithium carbonate market shows a nuanced equilibrium with the SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate index at 112,316 yuan/ton (~15,513.26 USD/ton), a slight decrease of 308 yuan. Despite this, battery-grade lithium carbonate prices remained stable, spanning 112,000 yuan/ton (~15,469.61 USD/ton) to 114,500 yuan/ton (~15,814.92 USD/ton), with an unwavering average of 113,250 yuan/ton (~15,642.27 USD/ton). The industrial-grade segment mirrored this steadiness, holding its ground with prices between 108,500 yuan/ton (~14,986.19 USD/ton) and 111,500 yuan/ton (~15,400.55 USD/ton), averaging at 110,000 yuan/ton (~15,193.37 USD/ton).

This general stability persists amidst firm pricing sentiment among lithium salt producers, most maintaining their quoted prices with only a few adjusting downwards, suggesting a strong market demand for more competitively priced lithium carbonate stocks from downstream sectors, such as cathode manufacturers, who are gradually increasing their purchasing volumes.

Futures Market Dynamics: A Downward Adjustment

The lithium carbonate (2407) main futures contract took a different path, experiencing a 3.06% decrease. Opening at 115,600 yuan/ton (~15,966.85 USD/ton) and settling at 112,500 yuan/ton (~15,538.67 USD/ton), the contract's trading volume stood at 195,122 lots, with open interest decreasing by 4,150 lots to 180,154 lots. This movement marks a period of correction, showcasing initial volatility followed by a stabilization towards the close.

Refreshing Perspectives: Adapting to Market Sentiments

The day's trading underscores a delicate balance where spot market prices remain steady against a backdrop of selective downstream purchasing, highlighting a preference for competitively priced lithium carbonate amidst broader market adjustments. This scenario reflects a trend of cautious optimism and strategic purchasing as stakeholders navigate through fluctuating price signals and supply-demand dynamics, emphasizing the importance of monitoring both supply-side sentiments and downstream purchasing patterns in understanding the market's direction amidst changing economic landscapes.

* You can subscribe to LiCarbonate Daily and it will be sent to your email daily; To subscribe, simply send an email to me : robinhe@smm.cn *

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

Futures market Market review Output SMM price price of metal metal prices Energy Storage EV New Energy new energy prices Lithium Prices

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM's internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or for more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

53 mins ago

Cobalt Products Quotations in the Doldrums; Refined Cobalt Has Dropped Over 20,000 Yuan in a Single Week; Cobalt Sulphate Quotations Have Fallen for Five Consecutive Days! [Weekly Review]

53 mins ago

1 hour ago

China’s imports of unwrought cobalt fell 6% month‑on‑month and exports dropped 38% month‑on‑month in July 2026.

In July 2026, China’s imports of unwrought cobalt stood at around 1,055 tonnes, down 6% month‑on‑month but up 83% year‑on‑year. By source country, the top three import origins for cobalt metal in July were Indonesia, Russia and Canada, with import volumes of 403 tonnes, 271 tonnes and 175 tonnes respectively. In terms of trade modes, goods under customs special supervision zones accounted for approximately 795 tonnes, representing about 75% of July imports. These supplies mainly flowed into bonded warehouses in Zhejiang and Shanghai. Only roughly 259 tonnes entered domestic consumption channels via general trade. Bonded warehouses show obvious “reservoir” characteristics, leading to a certain divergence between import figures and real domestic demand. For import prices, China’s average import price of unwrought cobalt reached USD 59,296 per tonne in July 2026, rising 13.53% month‑on‑month. Cumulative imports from January to July 2026 totalled 8,763 tonnes, surging 113% year‑on‑year. On the export side, China exported about 313 tonnes of unwrought cobalt in July 2026, falling 38% month‑on‑month and 68% year‑on‑year. By destination, the top three export markets were the Netherlands, the United States and Japan, with shipments of 83 tonnes, 71 tonnes and 49 tonnes respectively. Nearly 95% of monthly exports were goods under customs special supervision zones, dominated by re‑export flows among bonded areas. The average export price of unwrought cobalt stood at USD 56,505 per tonne in July 2026, down 5.16% month‑on‑month. Cumulative exports for January‑July 2026 amounted to 2,977 tonnes, dropping 76% year‑on‑year.

1 hour ago

2 hours ago

China's imports of cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediates rose 48% month‑on‑month in July 2026.

In July 2026, China’s imports of cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediates stood at approximately 16,174 physical tonnes, up 48% month‑on‑month and 17% year‑on‑year. Of the total volume, imports from the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached around 15,970 physical tonnes, rising 48% month‑on‑month and 21% year‑on‑year. The average import price for cobalt hydrometallurgical intermediates in July 2026 was USD 17,915 per physical tonne, climbing 9.56% month‑on‑month. Around 10,046 physical tonnes of DRC‑sourced intermediates entered Zhejiang and Guangdong provinces via goods under customs special supervision zones, accounting for 62.9% of total imports. General‑trade imports totalled about 4,243 physical tonnes (26.6%), while processing with imported materials stood at roughly 1,681 physical tonnes (10.5%). In addition, China imported a combined 204 physical tonnes of intermediates from Russia and Zambia under general trade during the month.

2 hours ago