Artificial Graphite Stays Firm and Stable, Natural Graphite Market Stagnant Consolidation [SMM Lithium Battery Anode Raw Material Market Weekly Review]

SMM July 2 News:

This week, China's artificial graphite anode prices remained stable overall. Cost side, while earlier pressures were gradually absorbed, the industry's overall profitability stayed low. Demand side, downstream orders recovered steadily, and the integrated capacity of first- and second-tier enterprises struggled to match order growth, leading to tight supply of spot finished products. Supported by thin profits and tightened supply, artificial graphite prices were relatively firm. For natural graphite, downstream purchase demand was weak, and pushing for lower prices in purchases was widespread. At this stage, industry profits neared the break-even line, producers had no room to cut prices or offer discounts, and market prices fell into a stalemate.

Looking ahead, the tight supply-demand situation for artificial graphite may intensify further, providing a basis for a steady rise in prices; constrained by weak end-use demand, transaction prices for natural graphite clung to the cost line, and in the short term, the market is likely to maintain a sideways consolidation trend.

SMM New Energy Research Team

Wang Cong 021-51666838

Ma Rui 021-51595780

Feng Disheng 021-51666714

Lyu Yanlin 021-20707875

Zhou Zhicheng 021-51666711

Zhang Haohan 021-51666752

Wang Zihan 021-51666914

Wang Jie 021-51595902

Xu Yang 021-51666760

Xu Mengqi 021-20707868

Hu Xuejie 021-20707858