Yesterday, the cobalt market continued its weak and volatile pattern, with prices edging down slightly. Trading sentiment remained cautious, and overall transaction activity was insufficient.On the supply side, upstream raw material supply stayed relatively stable, while import channels for overseas cobalt raw materials remained smooth, sustaining persistent supply pressure. Some recycling smelters, in order to accelerate capital turnover, have lowered their lowest prices for cobalt sulfate to the Yuan 80,00081,000/tonne range.On the demand side, downstream end-user industries, such as new energy batteries and hard alloy, are in the traditional off-season for demand, leading to sluggish procurement for essential needs. Downstream customers in the power battery sector are primarily consuming existing inventories, with new purchase orders remaining scarce. Most producers are scheduling production based on actual orders, and overall operating rates are staying low.