China's lithium market was quiet in the week to Thursday May 7 with buyers largely absent due to the country's Labor Day holiday (May 1-5). Other global lithium markets experienced a similar lack of spot activity, which kept prices in place.
Chinese battery-grade lithium carbonate price widens downward. China's industrial-grade lithium carbonate price unchanged.Chinese lithium hydroxide market flat.Asian, European and US spot markets see limited spot buying.
Persistently weak downstream demand continued to pressure China's battery-grade lithium spot market this week, with lower prices emerging after producers attempted to stimulate sales by reducing their offers.
Fastmarkets' weekly price assessment for
lithium carbonate, 99.5% Li2CO3 min, battery grade, spot price range exw domestic China was 42,000-45,000 yuan per tonne ($5,922- 6,345) on Thursday, widening downward by 500 yuan per tonne from 42,500-45,000 yuan per tonne a week earlier.
"We haven't purchased anything after the holiday. The lithium carbonate market remains soft with more offers heard at 42,000-43,000 yuan per tonne," a buyer source in China told Fastmarkets.
"Prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate produced from spodumene are difficult to...