Lithium battery anode material price downturn not over yet

During the week ending November 16, anode material prices slightly decreased due to sluggish sales. A slight drop was witnessed in low-sulphur petroleum coke price and oil-based needle coke prices. As inventories cleared and new orders were secured, producers that previously paused or shifted production, resumed needle coke production. Despite this, the slow pace of downstream purchases and a generally pessimistic market outlook have led these manufacturers to adopt a cautious, demand-driven production approach, resulting in low operating rates. Graphitisation outsourcing prices have remained stable for now. However, with leading downstream companies starting their bidding processes and possible order reductions due to advancements in anode integration projects, a future price drop was possible. End-of-year demand is low, and the surplus in anode material capacity is unlikely to diminish in the short term. This, coupled with upcoming negotiations and potential downstream cost reductions, suggests price declines for anode materials.