Over the past five years, lithium has rapidly emerged as a major global commodity, driven by demand from electric vehicles, energy storage and the wider energy transition. Demand is expected to grow by more than 200% over the next decade, yet the market infrastructure needed to support pricing, liquidity and risk management has not kept pace.   Lithium markets remain less mature than other major commodities, with limited electronic and transparent infrastructure for price discovery and trade initiation. As participation grows across the value chain, the […]

Here are some of the key discussion topics across the battery and critical minerals sectors ahead of Fastmarkets’ Global Lithium, Battery and Critical Materials conference taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on June 22-25.

Few battery raw materials entered the 2020s with as much momentum as lithium hydroxide. As automakers raced toward electrification, the industry widely expected high-nickel batteries to dominate the next generation of electric vehicles (EVs). Lithium hydroxide, a critical raw material for nickel-rich cathodes, was projected to become one of the battery sector’s fastest-growing products.

US lumber yards substitute Southern Yellow Pine for dwindling Canadian and European softwood imports, impacting grade availability and market dynamics across the country.

The threat of new US tariffs has slightly reduced Brazilian softwood molding orders, but resilient market demand is preventing a major price drop.

US wheat futures and Euronext contracts were mixed on Tuesday June 16, with most US contracts moving lower, while Chicago soft red winter wheat futures posted gains. Euronext contracts also moved higher during the session. Global cash markets remained subdued, with limited activity as buyers largely stayed on the sidelines. Black Sea wheat prices are starting to trend lower under seasonal harvest pressure, while Australia, Europe and Argentina were broadly steady.

Soybean and soybean meal futures continued to ride on the coattails of the bullish National Oilseed Processors Association (NOPA) crush report on Tuesday June 16, with market chatter that China is bidding on — or indeed may have already bought — US beans for February, giving much-lauded impetus to further increases in futures markets over the period.

China’s tightening regulation of its lithium-ion battery recycling sector is increasing black mass flows and accelerating the release of lower-cost recycled cobalt units, Fastmarkets understands.

Naturally produced graphite offers a cheaper and more supply-chain stable alternative for battery manufacturers and consumers, Jon Jacobs, chief commercial officer of US-based mineral resources developer Westwater Resources, told Fastmarkets in an exclusive interview on Thursday June 4, as concerns over Chinese dominance in the market forced buyers to look elsewhere.

The proposal can be found here. Why has Fastmarkets issued a price consultation for the 65% Fe iron ore index? This is to ensure that the 65% Fe iron ore index continues to reflect the reality of the physical spot market, as well as to capture more data points for the index.   Will the […]