GLOBAL LITHIUM WRAP: Europe, US markets strengthen; China prices stable despite Wuxi strength

Lithium prices in Europe and the United States rose during the week to Thursday July 8, while the China domestic market was broadly stable, with the rally of the recently launched lithium carbonate contract on the Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange having a minimal impact on the physical market.

Availability of technical-grade lithium remains tight in Europe and the US amid lingering logistic delays, supporting technical- and industrial-grade, and battery-grade assessments.Battery-grade lithium prices in the domestic Chinese market are stable due to slowing trades.The battery-grade lithium hydroxide price in the seaborne Asian market edged up against a backdrop of tight availability.Battery-grade lithium prices in China were stable over the past week, shrugging off the strength of the Wuxi contract.
The Wuxi Stainless Steel Exchange launched a battery-grade lithium carbonate contract on Monday July 5, with a guiding opening price of 88 yuan ($13.56) per kg, or 88,000 yuan per tonne, for the October 2021 physically delivered contract.
The contract closed at 96,500 yuan per tonne on July 8.

But the optimism on Wuxi has not been reflected in the physical market, with some market participants acknowledging that liquidity has not taken off yet,...

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