Current high inventory levels to hinder the rise of lithium carbonate prices

SMM, Oct 12: This week, spot lithium carbonate prices surged and then dropped back slightly. On the first day after the holiday, driven by positive macro policy sentiment, upstream lithium chemical smelters further raised their quotes. Due to some downstream material plants still needing to restock as needed after the holiday, the price center of the spot lithium carbonate market moved up on the first day post-holiday. With prices continuing to rise, most downstream material plants adopted a cautious attitude towards the current high price levels, mainly maintaining a wait-and-see sentiment, leading to a slight drop back after the surge. In the current spot lithium carbonate market, actual transaction activity is relatively subdued. October's downstream demand is expected to remain relatively optimistic, while upstream lithium chemical smelters may still face some reduction. Considering the current high inventory levels of lithium carbonate, it is expected to hinder the extent of price increases, resulting in range-bound fluctuations.