LiCarbonate Daily - June 11

Published: Jun 11, 2024 17:56

Source: SMM

Save

On June 11, lithium carbonate futures fell 3.72% to 97,000 yuan/ton (~13,379.31 USD/ton). The battery-grade index dropped to 100,136 yuan/ton (~13,811.86 USD/ton).

Market Summary: On June 11, the lithium carbonate market experienced a significant decline, with the main 2407 futures contract falling by 3.72%. The futures opened at 100,000 yuan per ton (~13,793.10 USD/ton) and closed at 97,000 yuan per ton (~13,379.31 USD/ton). The trading volume was 104,245 contracts, and open interest decreased by 2,504 contracts to 152,300.

Spot Market Overview:

Battery-Grade Lithium Carbonate:
- SMM index: 100,136 yuan per ton (~13,811.86 USD/ton), down by 816 yuan from the previous day.
- Price range: 98,200 - 102,500 yuan per ton, with an average price of 100,350 yuan per ton (~13,841.38 USD/ton), down by 825 yuan.
Industrial-Grade Lithium Carbonate:
- Price range: 95,500 - 97,500 yuan per ton, with an average price of 96,500 yuan per ton (~13,310.34 USD/ton), down by 850 yuan.

Market Dynamics:

Futures Performance: The main 2407 futures contract opened at 100,000 yuan per ton, initially rose, but then declined steadily throughout the day, closing down by 3.72%.
Spot Market Activity: The spot market prices continued to weaken. As the fundamental outlook for June remains weak, more upstream lithium salt producers have lowered their spot prices and adjusted their psychological selling prices. Although the number of inquiries and quotes in the market has improved compared to previous periods, actual purchasing sentiment from downstream buyers remains subdued. Most downstream enterprises are only making purchases based on long-term agreements and still find the current prices higher than their expectations. This has resulted in a general downward shift in the focus of spot transaction prices.

Looking Forward:

Production and Sales:
- Upstream producers are increasingly lowering spot prices and adjusting selling expectations due to weak market fundamentals.
Purchasing Behavior:
- Downstream buyers remain cautious, with most purchases based on long-term agreements. High inventory levels and price expectations continue to influence their purchasing decisions, leading to limited activity in the spot market.

* 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

Inventory Futures market Market review 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

11 hours ago

WIP Material Mismatch: The Core Bottleneck for Sulfide All‑Solid‑State Batteries

Jiuwu Hi‑Tech’s LATP Solid Electrolyte Passes 4.62V Overcharge Test; Ceramic‑Membrane Leader Advances Dual‑Track Solid‑State Battery Strategy

11 hours ago

12 hours ago

Warm Isostatic Pressing Material Misalignment: The "Achilles' Heel" of Mass Production of Sulphide Solid-State Batteries [SMM Analysis]

[SMM Analysis: Warm Isostatic Pressing Material Misalignment: The "Achilles' Heel" of Sulfide Solid-State Battery Mass Production] Warm isostatic pressing is the core process for solid–solid interface densification in sulfide all-solid-state batteries. However, the substantial differences in compressive modulus and plastic deformation among cathode and anode active materials, solid-state electrolyte, and copper and aluminum current collectors cause non-uniform creep and interlayer slip within the multi-layer structure under 600 MPa isotropic high pressure. This is tolerable in small laboratory cells, but when scaling up to large-capacity automotive-grade cells, the yield crashes. The solution priorities are clear: material modification (addressing the root cause) > process optimization (providing relief) > equipment upgrade (limited symptom treatment with a clear ceiling). The hardware gap for China's warm isostatic pressing equipment continues to narrow, but shortcomings remain in process databases and turnkey solutions. The industry is now in a window period for pilot-scale equipment procurement, and China's iteration pace is faster than that outside China. The long-term success of equipment suppliers depends on turnkey line solutions and partnerships with leading clients, while standalone machine performance is merely the entry barrier. Constrained by the material misalignment bottleneck, achieving full-scale solid-state battery integration at the million-unit level before 2030 is extremely difficult, with only small-batch demonstrations in high-end car models likely to appear from 2027 to 2029.

12 hours ago

SMM Daily Review: Spot lithium carbonate price edged up on July 29

[SMM Daily Comment: Spot Lithium Carbonate Price Edges Up on July 29] SMM battery-grade lithium carbonate spot price edged up today from the previous working day. In the futures market, the lithium carbonate 2609 contract opened flat at 143,500 yuan/mt today, briefly dipped to 142,500 yuan/mt after opening, then found support. Bulls continued to enter, pushing prices up in a volatile manner. The contract shot up to 149,400 yuan/mt in the morning session, then faced bearish selling pressure and pulled back. Around midday, bulls and bears tussled repeatedly in the 147,000–148,500 yuan/mt range. In the afternoon, bulls consolidated at highs, with prices moving sideways above the average price line (146,600 yuan/mt). The contract consolidated at highs into the close, ending near 147,600 yuan/mt, and finally closed up 2.07% at 147,600 yuan/mt, with open interest decreasing by 11,126 lots. In the spot market, as prices fluctuated upward, downstream users purchased as needed on dips, mostly staying cautious. Upstream lithium chemical plants continued to hold prices firm and hold back from selling, with some still anchoring their spot order willingness-to-sell price above 160,000 yuan/mt. Overall, inquiries and actual transactions remained relatively stable.

12 hours ago