This week, cobalt intermediate product prices slightly decreased. Supply side, port spot cargoes were sufficient, ensuring raw material supply. Demand side, due to high cobalt-related costs, downstream only maintained essential purchasing. Overall market situation, with year-end long-term contracts about to be signed, mines maintained a strong pricing stance, but some traders or cobalt smelters, considering cash flow, sold at low prices, leading to a decrease in overall spot prices. It was expected that in the future, due to relatively low raw material prices, low-priced sources would gradually decrease, and short-term spot prices might remain stable.
![[SMM Analysis] The arrival volume of spodumene in January 2026 reached a record high then declined in February.](https://imgqn.smm.cn/usercenter/zWZVI20251217171730.jpg)


