Last week, sluggish end-user demand dampened purchasing enthusiasm among hydrometallurgical plants, putting pressure on black mass prices. The payables for NCM black mass and LCO black mass both declined, with the discount rate for NCM 5-series cathode scrap powder falling to around 78.5%, and the cobalt salt payable for LCO battery powder dropping to approximately 79%. Meanwhile, transaction prices for NCM 5-series cathode scrap powder ranged between Yuan 102,150103,800/tonne, LCO battery powder between Yuan 11,950121,650/tonne, and LFP battery powder between Yuan 16,21516,685/tonne.Leading producers entered the market to inquire about high-cobalt black mass, but showed little intention to make large-volume purchases in the short term, leaving the market subdued. Meanwhile, the recovery market continued to compete fiercely for available supplies, with LFP cathode scrap prices remaining elevated and LFP cathode scrap powder in tight supply.