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GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: China’s uptrend continues but buyers retreat ahead of CNY holiday
The rally in China’s domestic lithium prices continued to influence markets in the rest of Asia in the week to Thursday January 28, but trading has thinned in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday in mid-February.

[COLOR=rgba(50, 50, 50, 0.74902)]Published onJanuary 29, 2021 11:15 AM​

[COLOR=rgba(50, 50, 50, 0.74902)]By

• Carrie Shi
• Dalila Ouerghi

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• China’s battery-grade lithium prices rose again due to limited spot availability and because some producers had stopped offering ahead of Chinese New Year.
• Asian battery-grade lithium carbonate spot prices continued to be driven by tight spot supply and surging domestic China prices despite thin trade.
• European and US lithium hydroxide price rallied by 7.5% amid market tightness and improved demand for technical grade.

China’s battery-grade lithium carbonate price continued to be pushed up further this week due to scarce spot availability. Most producers had little to no material for spot sales and have gradually stopped offering from this week, two weeks ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday (February 11-17).

“Our materials are booked out in the first quarter due to increasing demand and we do not offer spot materials now,” a producer said.

Fastmarkets’ weekly price assessment for lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price range exw domestic China was 63,000-68,000 yuan ($9,750-10,524) per tonne on Thursday, up 4.8% from 60,000-65,000 yuan per tonne the previous week.

A number of market participants told Fastmarkets they predict the battery-grade lithium carbonate price will remain firm on tighter supplies in the first quarter because most material has been booked out over the period. Meanwhile, more buyers chose to hold watchful attitudes for now and wait to see the market post-holiday when more trades are expected.

“Market sentiment remains bullish for lithium carbonate. We received offering prices at above 70,000 yuan per tonne this week, but we are unwilling to purchase at such high prices. Domestic logistics will gradually stop ahead of Lunar New Year, [so] we will restart purchasing from the end of February,” a buyer said.

The battery-grade lithium hydroxide price continued on its uptrend that began in mid-January, following the surge in the carbonate price, also due to reducing supply. But spot trades were limited and most buyers hesitated in placing orders.

Fastmarkets’ lithium hydroxide monohydrate, 56.5% LiOH.H2O min, battery grade, spot price range exw domestic China was at 52,000-56,000 yuan per tonne on Thursday January 28, up from 50,000-54,000 from previous week.

“Battery-grade lithium hydroxide offering prices are mostly in the range of 55,000-60,000 yuan per tonne, but there are limited spot trades, and we will see what the prices will be at the end of February,” a second buyer said.

The lithium carbonate 99% Li2CO3 min, technical and industrial grade, spot price range exw domestic China price also surged this week, reaching 60,000-65,000 yuan per tonne on Thursday compared with 50,000-58,000 yuan per tonne a week earlier. The assessment has climbed rapidly since the start of the year when it stood at 42,000-48,000 yuan per tonne on January 7.

The spodumene 6% Li2O min, cif China price also rocketed by 15.2% in the latest monthly assessment to $450-460 per tonne from $390-400 per tonne in December.