【Japanese Company Develops 4 Micron Ultrathin Copper Foil, Promising to Improve Li-ion Battery Range】

As copper prices continued to rise, with consumption being suppressed by the absolute price and the operating rate of secondary copper rod production passively reduced during a period of policy watch, the discount of secondary copper rod against copper futures declined throughout March. The price difference between copper cathode rod and secondary copper rod has reached its highest level since September 2024. Against this backdrop, how is the current market for refined and secondary copper rods performing? Has the supply of copper anodes increased? A detailed analysis follows:

As the global economy adjusted to the new normal in the post-pandemic era, global copper demand reached a record high peak that fueled price growth. Because metal is such a vital raw material for its extensive range of industrial applications, it has emerged as an economic progress precursor in certain fields such as energy, transportation, and electronics. Copper direction in 2025 will be influenced by some of the factors ranging from the EV production boom to shifts in international trade policy.

Recently, there has been a divergence in the price trends at the recycling end. In terms of transactions, the current recycling market continues the previously sustained light situation, with sluggish market transactions.

Copper is an essential metal extensively used across various industries, including electrical, construction, and transportation. As such, the pricing of copper significantly impacts the global economy. Understanding the dynamics influencing copper prices can provide valuable insights for investors, manufacturers, and economic policymakers.

Sunwoda: This Year, The Production Capacity of LFP Power Batteries Is Expected to Account for More Than 50%.

On May 8, lithium carbonate futures dropped 1.62% to 112,050 yuan/ton (~15,519.39 USD/ton). The battery-grade index stood at 111,609 yuan/ton (~15,458.31 USD/ton).

Chile’s mining output increased 7.7% year-on-year in February, with copper and lithium contributing

On March 15th, lithium carbonate futures dipped by 0.65% to 115,050 yuan/ton, while spot prices remained stable at an average of 112,250 yuan/ton, amid cautious market sentiment.

【Samsung SDI Finalizes Plans for Third Factory in Hungary, Second Factory Expected to Complete in September】According to foreign media reports, Samsung SDI has finalized its investment plan to build its third battery factory in Hungary. Sources say the company is expected to spend more than 6 trillion won on overall facility expansion this year, of which over 1 trillion won will be used to build the third factory.

Most Actively Traded Lithium Carbonate Contract Continues to Rise, Up 1.94% 【SMM Futures Review】SMM News on February 26: On February 26, the most actively traded lithium carbonate futures contract 2407 continued to rise by 1.94%. Data shows that the most actively traded lithium carbonate futures contract 2407 opened at RMB 102,000/ton and closed at RMB 102,300/ton, with a trading volume of 215,205 lots and open interests of 179,602 lots, an increase of 5,818 lots from the previous trading day. SMM’s spot price quotation for battery-grade lithium carbonate on the same day was RMB 94,300-99,000/ton, averaging at RMB 96,650/ton, an increase of RMB 400/ton from the previous working day. Judging from the trend, lithium carbonate prices opened slightly higher in the morning and then fluctuated lower, running to the day's low of RMB 101,250/ton before fluctuating higher. After the noon opening, the most actively traded contract fluctuated lower in a small range before finally closing up 1.94%.