GLOBAL LITHIUM SNAPSHOT: Chinese battery-grade carbonate price widens up; bullish outlook for Jan

China

• Most producers insisted on higher prices for battery grade lithium carbonate, citing a lack of material, and are targeting over 50,000 yuan ($7,658) per tonne for January 2021.
• China’s industrial-grade lithium carbonate market reported offers of 43,000-46,000 yuan per tonne this week, but trading activities were thin due to low spot availability.
• China’s battery-grade lithium hydroxide price was rangebound, but producers’ intentions to raise prices strengthened with a plan to achieve higher deal prices in the coming weeks.

Asia

• The seaborne lithium carbonate price was stable, while offers continue to inch higher followed rising China’s domestic prices.
• Spot trading in the battery-grade lithium hydroxide market was scarce.

Europe

• Buying interest remains thin due to European and US markets winding down for the Christmas break.
• Technical and industrial lithium carbonate was steady but sources cited higher offer prices for material sourced from China and increasing shipping costs as factors supporting prices.
• Sources said that prices for lithium carbonate for delivery in the second quarter of 2021 could increase sharply due to tight availability and increased demand.