Lithium: The lithium ore market was relatively quiet at present, with the bids and offers showing increasingly large difference. The spot supply of high-grade spodumene concentrate was tight, and the traders awaited further pricehike. Some ore traders processed the lithium ore into lithium carbonate for hedging purpose. It is expected that the lithium ore prices will remain flat in the near term. For lithium carbonate, the market transactions were moderate, and the traders were active in making quotations. But the downstream players purchased on demand. The supply of industrial grade lithium carbonate remained tight. It is expected that the lithium carbonate prices will keep rangebound in the short period.
Nickel: The nickel sulfate market was relatively balanced at present amid tight supply of spots with nickel sulfate producers busy delivering long-term orders by mid-April, and the slow recovery of end-market demand, in addition to integrated producers selling nickel sulfate. The transaction prices were low as a reuslt. The nickel sulfate prices are likely to fall in the future with rising MHP supply in Indonesia.
Cobalt: The cost support of cobalt sulfate weakened further when the prices of intermediates were below $6/lb. In addition, the market players stood on the sidelines as the cobalt sulfate prices lacked momentu, especially when they were genearlly bearish towards the follow-up price moves. The smelters continuously lowered the prices, but the transactions were poor still.
Battery scrap: The prices of battery black mass edged down with falling prices of metal salts. The transactions were muted with the sellers and buyers wrestling over the prices.
Repurposing: The transactions were lackluster on the repurposing market yesterday. The inquiries for B grade battery cells were more active, but the bids were below the market prices. The orders from the consumer electronics and household energy storage sectors were on the rise.