智通财经网·2025-04-28 01:23Group 1: Lithium Market Overview - The lithium sector is experiencing a downward trend in prices, with the weekly contract price for lithium carbonate in Wuxi dropping by 2.84% to 68,500 yuan/ton, and the price in the Shanghai Futures Exchange decreasing by 2.85% to 68,200 yuan/ton [1] - Lithium concentrate prices have also declined, with the price reported at 793 USD/ton, a decrease of 15 USD/ton compared to the previous period [1] - The overall supply remains high despite some small lithium salt manufacturers reducing production due to cost pressures, while major manufacturers are improving efficiency through technological upgrades [1] Group 2: Supply and Demand Dynamics - The market sentiment is pessimistic due to an oversupply situation, with the North American lithium mining development potentially accelerating following the inclusion of the Smackover lithium mine in a key mineral fast-track project [2] - Demand is expected to weaken as the market approaches a traditional off-peak season, compounded by concerns over U.S. tariff policies affecting orders for energy storage batteries and lithium iron phosphate [2] - The average price for battery-grade lithium carbonate was reported between 68,200 and 71,400 yuan/ton, reflecting a 2.3% decrease from the previous week [2] Group 3: Cobalt Market Insights - The cobalt market is showing a relatively strong performance, with the demand primarily driven by essential purchases, while supply remains stable with most smelting plants maintaining normal production levels [3] - The average price for electrolytic cobalt was reported between 232,000 and 249,000 yuan/ton, which is a slight increase of 0.2% compared to the previous week [3] - Cobalt salt manufacturers are operating at high capacity, but the market is entering a buffer period as downstream enterprises have largely completed their inventory replenishment [3] Group 4: Price Trends in Related Materials - The average price for lithium iron phosphate decreased by 1.2% to a range of 31,900 to 33,400 yuan/ton [4] - The average price for ternary materials (622) also saw a slight decline of 0.1%, ranging from 107,800 to 118,600 yuan/ton [4]