Summary of Key Points from Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call discusses the lithium carbonate market, particularly focusing on the impact of the shutdown of the Jianxiawo mining area on supply and demand dynamics in the lithium carbonate industry [1][3]. Core Insights and Arguments - The shutdown of the Jianxiawo mining area has resulted in a supply shortage of over 6,000 tons of lithium carbonate in August, leading to a significant decrease in inventory levels. Despite an increase in imports in September and October, it is unlikely to fill the supply gap, which may cause lithium carbonate prices to rebound to around 90,000 yuan per ton in the short term [1][3]. - If the Jianxiawo and other mica mines remain shut down after September 2025, the total supply of lithium carbonate for 2025 is expected to drop to 1.53 million tons, exacerbating supply tightness [1][3]. - For 2026, if the Ningde and other mica mines are assumed to be shut down for six months, the total supply could reach 1.8 million tons, with a potential increase to 1.85 million tons if Ningde resumes production mid-year. The additional supply will primarily come from South American salt lakes, African mines, and domestic salt lakes [1][3]. - Despite the anticipated increase in supply in 2026, the excess supply is expected to widen to 200,000 to 300,000 tons, indicating that a market reversal is not imminent and will require a longer period of active clearing under profit pressure [1][5]. Demand Side Changes - Recent demand-side changes have exceeded expectations, particularly after the resumption of production at the end of Q1 2025. A significant cost reduction was observed in Q2, leading to a decline in lithium prices until late June. However, following regulatory notifications and production halts in July, market sentiment shifted, resulting in a 10%-15% increase in demand-side production scheduling [4][5]. Future Demand and Supply Predictions - Global demand for power batteries is projected to grow at 18% in 2026, while energy storage batteries are expected to grow at 25%, leading to a combined growth rate of nearly 20%. The demand for lithium carbonate is forecasted to increase by 13% [5]. - Even with improved supply dynamics in 2026, if mica mines continue to be shut down until the end of the year, the excess supply could still expand to 200,000 to 300,000 tons, indicating that a market reversal is not expected until 2027 or later [5]. Investment Opportunities - In the current environment of domestic mining regulatory compliance risks, the focus is on leading companies with high-quality overseas resources, specifically Tianqi, Ganfeng, Zhongmin, and Shengxin. Tianqi has the lowest self-supply cost, followed by Ganfeng, while Zhongmin and Shengxin also show strong competitiveness [2][6]. - Shengxin is noted for having the highest profit elasticity, with Tianqi and Ganfeng following. If Shengxin's molybdenum project is launched in 2028, its total cost could be as low as 50,000 yuan per ton [6][7].

Supply Side - Lithium carbonate production increased by 2,120 tons week-on-week to 20,358 tons, with July production up 5.8% to 85,690 tons[4] - The shutdown of the Ningde Jianshan Mine for three months and the review of mining rights in Yichun and Qinghai are impacting supply[4] - In June 2025, China's lithium ore imports decreased by 4.8% to 576,000 tons, with imports from Australia down 31% to approximately 256,000 tons[4] Cost and Pricing - The CIF price of imported spodumene concentrate rose week-on-week, leading to cost pressures for some lithium carbonate producers[4] - Lithium hydroxide manufacturers are facing significant cost pressures, while self-owned mines and salt lake enterprises have some profit support[4] Demand Side - Overall production in August increased by 7% for large battery manufacturers, with total battery production in June reaching 129.2 GWh, up 4.6% month-on-month and 51.4% year-on-year[5] - The introduction of vehicle replacement policies and the extension of the new energy vehicle purchase tax are expected to support rapid growth in China's new energy vehicle market[5] Inventory and Market Outlook - Lithium carbonate inventory increased by 465 tons at factories, 1,171 tons in the market, and 12,224 tons in futures[5] - The recent production cuts at the mining level and cautious purchasing behavior from downstream buyers suggest that lithium carbonate prices will continue to show strong fluctuations[5]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint indicates that lithium carbonate futures prices have fallen below 70,000 yuan/ton, with a closing price of 68,900 yuan/ton on August 1, reflecting a weekly decline of 5.85% [1] - The domestic lithium carbonate production in July exceeded 80,000 tons, showing a month-on-month increase of 4%, primarily due to significant recovery in spodumene production and the release of recycling capacity [3] - Demand for lithium carbonate is under pressure, with retail sales of new energy vehicles in July declining by 17% month-on-month, and the prices of downstream materials such as lithium iron phosphate and ternary materials showing slight decreases [3] Group 2 - The market outlook suggests that lithium carbonate prices are likely to remain weak in the short term, with a focus on the production changes of mica and salt lake resources, which could influence price movements [3] - Current market conditions indicate high supply and inventory levels for lithium carbonate, with limited support for prices due to declining demand growth [4] - The potential for price increases in the future may depend on the implementation of anti-involution policies, resource clearing in the upstream sector, and the resolution of price wars within the industry [4]

Group 1: Report Industry Investment Rating - No relevant content provided Group 2: Core View of the Report - The fundamentals of the lithium carbonate market show an increase in supply and stable demand, which may pose a constraint on the price increase. In the short term, driven by market sentiment, the futures price of lithium carbonate may fluctuate upward, but the downstream inventory is relatively large, and the subsequent replenishment space may be limited, weakening the price support [2] Group 3: Summary by Related Catalogs Lithium Compound Prices - The average price of SMM battery - grade lithium carbonate is 64,650 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 900 yuan; the average price of SMM industrial - grade lithium carbonate is 63,050 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 900 yuan [1] Lithium Futures Contracts - The closing price of lithium carbonate 2507 is 66,200 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 3.41%; the closing price of lithium carbonate 2508 is 66,720 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 3.63%; the closing price of lithium carbonate 2509 is 66,480 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 3.71%; the closing price of lithium carbonate 2510 is 66,260 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 3.66%; the closing price of lithium carbonate 2511 is 66,000 yuan/ton, with a daily increase of 3.48% [1] Lithium Ore Prices - The price of lithium spodumene concentrate (CIF China) is 682 yuan, with a daily increase of 8 yuan; the price of lithium mica (Li20: 1.5% - 2.0%) is 890 yuan, with a daily increase of 60 yuan; the price of lithium mica (Li20: 2.0% - 2.5%) is 1450 yuan, with a daily increase of 45 yuan; the price of amblygonite (Li20: 6% - 7%) is 4650 yuan; the price of amblygonite (Li20: 7% - 8%) is 5500 yuan, with a daily increase of 100 yuan [1][2] Cathode Material Prices - The average price of lithium iron phosphate (power - type) is 31,275 yuan, with a daily increase of 220 yuan; the average price of ternary material 811 (polycrystalline/power - type) is 142,880 yuan; the average price of ternary material 523 (single - crystal/power - type) is 115,255 yuan, with a daily increase of 100 yuan; the average price of ternary material 613 (single - crystal/power - type) is 120,305 yuan [2] Price Spreads - The price spread between battery - grade and industrial - grade lithium carbonate is 1600 yuan/ton; the price spread between battery - grade lithium carbonate and the main contract is - 1830 yuan, with a change of - 1300 yuan; the price spread between the near - month and the first - continuous contract is 240 yuan, with no change; the price spread between the near - month and the second - continuous contract is 460 yuan, with no change [2] Inventory - The total weekly inventory is 140,793 tons, with an increase of 2446 tons; the weekly inventory of smelters is 58,598 tons, with a decrease of 292 tons; the weekly inventory of downstream is 40,765 tons, with an increase of 268 tons; the weekly inventory of others is 41,430 tons, with an increase of 2470 tons; the daily registered warehouse receipts are 11,204 tons, with a decrease of 399 tons [2] Industry News - Premier African Minerals completed the upgrade of the flotation plant of its Zulu lithium - tantalum ore project in Zimbabwe and restarted operations on July 6. The project covers about 3.5 square kilometers and is 100% owned by Premier through its local subsidiary [2] - Hunan Province has discovered 4.9 billion tons of lithium ore in Linwu County, Chenzhou City, with 131000 tons of lithium oxide resources, and the deposit is accompanied by multiple strategic minerals [2] - A document from the Yichun Bureau of Land and Resources requires 8 mining enterprises to supplement relevant materials for the mineral resource reserve verification report, but it does not affect the current production plans of the mines and the stability of lithium carbonate supply [2]

Report Industry Investment Rating - Not provided in the content Core Viewpoints - The fundamentals of lithium carbonate still show a situation of excessive supply and weak demand for now, but industry expectations have improved, and the supply - demand situation may gradually improve. The option market sentiment is bullish, with the implied volatility slightly decreasing. The operation suggestion is to conduct light - position short - selling transactions at high prices and control risks by paying attention to trading rhythms [2]. Summary by Relevant Catalogs Futures Market - The closing price of the main contract is 64,400 yuan/ton, up 520 yuan; the net position of the top 20 is - 93,307 hands, down 23,240 hands; the position of the main contract is 326,895 hands, down 11,139 hands; the spread between near and far - month contracts is 540 yuan/ton, down 820 yuan; the Guangzhou Futures Exchange warehouse receipt is 12,655 hands/ton, down 2,900 hands [2]. Spot Market - The average price of battery - grade lithium carbonate is 63,300 yuan/ton, up 400 yuan; the average price of industrial - grade lithium carbonate is 61,700 yuan/ton, up 400 yuan; the basis of the Li₂CO₃ main contract is - 1,100 yuan/ton, down 120 yuan [2]. Upstream Situation - The average price of spodumene concentrate (6% CIF China) is 696 US dollars/ton, unchanged; the average price of amblygonite is 5,340 yuan/ton, up 80 yuan; the price of lepidolite (2 - 2.5%) is 1,716 yuan/ton, up 25 yuan [2]. Industry Situation - The monthly output of lithium carbonate is 42,100 tons, down 5,800 tons; the monthly import volume is 21,145.78 tons, down 7,190.11 tons; the monthly export volume is 286.74 tons, down 447.55 tons; the monthly operating rate of lithium carbonate enterprises is 47%, down 6 percentage points; the monthly output of power batteries is 123,500 MWh, up 5,300 MWh [2]. Downstream and Application - The prices of some downstream products such as manganese - acid lithium are rising, while the prices of some others like cobalt - acid lithium remain unchanged. The production, sales, and export of new energy vehicles are increasing, and the cumulative sales penetration rate is also rising. The 20 - day and 40 - day average volatilities of the underlying are decreasing, and in the option market, the total subscription position and the total put position are increasing, and the put - call ratio of the total position is decreasing [2]. Option Situation - The total subscription position is 126,217 contracts, up 16,240; the total put position is 45,203 contracts, up 847; the put - call ratio of the total position is 35.81%, down 4.5184%; the implied volatility of at - the - money IV is 0.23%, down 0.0016% [2]. Industry News - In June, the production and retail of passenger cars and new energy vehicles increased year - on - year. From January to June, the production and retail of passenger cars and new energy vehicles also increased year - on - year. In 2024, the national new energy vehicle ownership increased more than five - fold compared to the end of the 13th Five - Year Plan. From January to May 2025, the automobile production increased year - on - year, but the profit decreased. A super - large lithium deposit has been discovered in Linwu County, Hunan Province [2]. Technical Analysis - On the 60 - minute MACD chart, the double lines are above the 0 - axis, and the green bars have just appeared [2].

Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. Core Viewpoints of the Report - In the second quarter, the pattern of oversupply in the lithium carbonate market is expected to continue, with no significant increase in production during the off - season on the demand side. The supply - side production shows no obvious improvement, and both lithium ore and lithium salt inventories face great pressure, with a slow de - stocking process. The current main contradiction in the market is that the pressure of lithium salt production capacity clearance is gradually spreading to the upstream ore end, and the loosening of ore prices will further drive down lithium salt prices. There is a need to be vigilant against the possible spiral decline of ore and lithium salt prices [3]. - There are some positive factors, such as positive macro - policies that may stimulate power demand growth in industries like robotics, low - altitude economy, and AI, and a higher probability of supply - side disturbances as lithium ore and lithium salt prices decline [4]. - There are also negative factors, including high future production expectations for lithium ore, high inventories suppressing ore prices, high inventories of both lithium ore and lithium salt, and the delay of production capacity clearance due to industrial technology upgrades [6]. Summary by Relevant Catalogs Futures Price and Market Conditions - The price range prediction for the lithium carbonate main contract is an oscillation between 59,000 - 62,000 yuan/ton, with a current 20 - day rolling volatility of 18.9% and a historical percentile (3 - year) of 17.2% [2]. - The closing price of the lithium carbonate main contract is 59,120 yuan/ton, up 220 yuan (0.37%) from the previous day; the trading volume is 259,487 lots, down 70,833 lots (- 21.44%); the open interest is 356,954 lots, up 2,607 lots (0.74%) [9]. - For the LC2511 contract, the closing price is 58,800 yuan/ton (unchanged), the trading volume is 28,178 lots, up 12,033 lots (74.53%), and the open interest is 76,082 lots, up 5,069 lots (7.14%) [9]. - Regarding the lithium carbonate monthly spreads: LC07 - 08 is 360 yuan/ton, down 100 yuan (- 21.74%); LC08 - 11 is 560 yuan/ton (unchanged); LC09 - 11 is 320 yuan/ton, up 220 yuan (220%); LC11 - 12 is - 320 yuan/ton, up 80 yuan (20%) [15]. Lithium Ore and Lithium Salt Prices - For lithium ore, the average daily prices of various types have different changes. For example, the average price of lithium mica (Li2O: 2 - 2.5%) is 1,190 yuan/ton, down 20 yuan (- 1.65%); the average price of lithium mica (Li2O: 3 - 4%) is 2,175 yuan/ton, down 40 yuan (- 1.81%) [19]. - For lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide, the average daily prices also show declines. The average price of industrial - grade lithium carbonate is 58,350 yuan/ton, down 450 yuan (- 0.77%); the average price of battery - grade lithium carbonate is 59,950 yuan/ton, down 450 yuan (- 0.75%) [22]. Downstream Product Prices - For downstream products, the prices of some products have changed. The average price of power - type lithium iron phosphate is 30,175 yuan/ton, down 175 yuan (- 0.58%); the average price of low - end energy - storage type lithium iron phosphate is 26,520 yuan/ton, down 100 yuan (- 0.38%) [34]. Enterprise Risk Management Strategies - For inventory management, when product inventory is high and there is a risk of inventory impairment, it is recommended to short 70% of the lithium carbonate futures (LC2509) to lock in profits, sell 30% of call options, and buy out - of - the - money put options [2]. - For procurement management, when there are future procurement plans and concerns about raw material price increases, it is recommended to buy lithium carbonate forward contracts according to the procurement plan to lock in costs, sell put options, and buy out - of - the - money call options [2]. Warehouse Receipts - The total number of lithium carbonate warehouse receipts is 26,779, a decrease of 1,014 from the previous day. Some warehouses have changes in warehouse receipt quantities, such as Wugang Wuxi, which decreased by 300 lots, and Shanghai Guochu, which decreased by 90 lots [37].

1. Report Industry Investment Rating No relevant content provided. 2. Core View of the Report - The supply of lithium carbonate is strong while the demand is weak due to capacity mismatch, and the downward trend is difficult to change. The 2509 contract of lithium carbonate is expected to fluctuate in the range of 59080 - 60480. There are both positive and negative factors in the market. Positive factors include manufacturers' production cut plans, a decline in the import volume of lithium carbonate from Chile, and a decrease in the import volume of spodumene. Negative factors include the continuous high supply of ore/salt lake ends with limited decline, and insufficient willingness of the power battery end to take delivery [8][9][10][11]. 3. Summary According to the Directory 3.1 Daily View - **Fundamentals**: Last week, the production of lithium carbonate was 18,127 tons, a week - on - week increase of 3.75%, higher than the historical average. The inventory of iron phosphate lithium sample enterprises was 86,102 tons, a week - on - week increase of 3.99%, and the inventory of ternary material sample enterprises was 14,857 tons, a week - on - week decrease of 2.28%. The cost of purchased spodumene concentrate was 60,536 yuan/ton, a daily decrease of 0.51%, with a production loss of 879 yuan/ton; the cost of purchased lithium mica was 65,237 yuan/ton, unchanged daily, with a production loss of 7,076 yuan/ton. The production cost of the recycling end was generally higher than that of the ore end, with negative production income and low production enthusiasm. The quarterly cash production cost of the salt lake end was 31,868 yuan/ton, with a higher profit margin and sufficient production motivation [8]. - **Basis**: On June 16, the spot price of battery - grade lithium carbonate was 60,500 yuan/ton, and the basis of the 09 contract was 720 yuan/ton, with the spot at a premium to the futures [8]. - **Inventory**: The inventory of smelters was 57,653 tons, a week - on - week increase of 0.94%, higher than the historical average; the downstream inventory was 40,686 tons, a week - on - week decrease of 0.94%, higher than the historical average; other inventories were 35,210 tons, a week - on - week increase of 2.83%, higher than the historical average. The total inventory was 133,549 tons, a week - on - week increase of 0.84%, higher than the historical average [8]. - **Disk**: The MA20 on the disk was downward, and the futures price of the 09 contract closed below the MA20 [8]. - **Main Position**: The main position was net short, changing from long to short [8]. - **Expectation**: In May 2025, the production of lithium carbonate was 72,080 physical tons, and the predicted production for next month is 78,875 tons, a month - on - month increase of 9.43%. The import volume in May was 23,000 physical tons, and the predicted import volume for next month is 24,000 tons, a month - on - month increase of 4.35%. The demand is expected to strengthen next month, and the inventory may decrease. The price of 6% concentrate CIF has decreased on a daily basis, lower than the historical average. The supply - demand pattern has shifted to supply - dominated [8]. 3.2 Lithium Carbonate Market Overview - **Price Changes**: The prices of various lithium - related products such as spodumene, lithium mica concentrate, lithium carbonate, and cathode materials have shown different degrees of change. For example, the price of 6% spodumene decreased by 0.79% day - on - day, and the price of battery - grade lithium carbonate decreased by 0.25% day - on - day [14]. - **Supply - Demand Data**: In terms of supply, the weekly operating rate was 62.7%, and the daily production cost of spodumene was 60,536 yuan/ton. In terms of demand, the monthly operating rate of iron phosphate was 54%, and the monthly production was 225,200 tons [16]. 3.3 Supply - Lithium Ore - **Price and Production**: The price of lithium ore has fluctuated, and the production of domestic spodumene and lithium mica has also changed over time. The self - sufficiency rate of lithium ore has shown different trends for different types of lithium ore [20][21]. - **Supply - Demand Balance Sheet**: The supply - demand balance of lithium ore shows that there are differences in production, import, export, and demand in different months, resulting in different balance situations [24]. 3.4 Supply - Lithium Carbonate - **Production and Capacity**: The production and capacity of lithium carbonate from different sources (spodumene, lithium mica, salt lake, recycling) have changed over time. The import volume of lithium carbonate also shows different trends [26][27]. - **Supply - Demand Balance Sheet**: The supply - demand balance of lithium carbonate shows that there are differences in production, import, export, and demand in different months, resulting in different balance situations [32]. 3.5 Supply - Lithium Hydroxide - **Production and Capacity Utilization**: The production and capacity utilization of lithium hydroxide from different sources (smelting, causticizing) have changed over time. The export volume of lithium hydroxide also shows different trends [34][35]. - **Supply - Demand Balance Sheet**: The supply - demand balance of lithium hydroxide shows that there are differences in production, import, export, and demand in different months, resulting in different balance situations [38]. 3.6 Lithium Compound Cost and Profit - **Cost and Profit of Different Raw Materials**: The cost and profit of producing lithium compounds from different raw materials such as spodumene, lithium mica, and recycled materials have changed over time. There are also differences in the cost and profit of different production processes and product types [41][42][43]. 3.7 Inventory - **Inventory of Lithium Carbonate and Lithium Hydroxide**: The inventory of lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide shows different trends in different periods, including the inventory of smelters, downstream, and other aspects [49]. 3.8 Demand - Lithium Battery - **Price, Production, and Sales**: The price, production, and sales volume of lithium batteries have changed over time. The cost of battery cells also shows different trends [52][53]. 3.9 Demand - Ternary Precursor - **Price, Cost, and Production**: The price, cost, and production of ternary precursors have changed over time. The capacity utilization rate also shows different trends [57][58]. - **Supply - Demand Balance**: The supply - demand balance of ternary precursors shows that there are differences in production, import, export, and demand in different months, resulting in different balance situations [61]. 3.10 Demand - Ternary Material - **Price, Cost, and Production**: The price, cost, and production of ternary materials have changed over time. The operating rate and inventory also show different trends [65][66]. 3.11 Demand - Iron Phosphate/Iron Phosphate Lithium - **Price, Cost, and Production**: The price, cost, and production of iron phosphate and iron phosphate lithium have changed over time. The operating rate, export volume, and inventory also show different trends [70][72]. 3.12 Demand - New Energy Vehicle - **Production, Sales, and Penetration Rate**: The production, sales, and penetration rate of new energy vehicles have changed over time. The retail - wholesale ratio and dealer inventory index also show different trends [77][78][81][82].

Report Summary 1. Report Industry Investment Rating No information about the report industry investment rating is provided in the given content. 2. Report's Core View The report indicates that the supply pressure of lithium carbonate is relatively strong, and the weak and volatile trend continues. The trend intensity of lithium carbonate is 0, suggesting a neutral outlook [1][3]. 3. Summary by Related Catalogs 3.1 Fundamental Tracking - **Futures Market**: For the 2507 contract, the closing price was 59,940 yuan, down 500 yuan compared to T - 1; the trading volume was 169,471 lots, down 237 lots; and the open interest was 147,432 lots, down 15,450 lots. For the 2509 contract, the closing price was 59,800 yuan, down 680 yuan compared to T - 1; the trading volume was 177,158 lots, up 22,618 lots; and the open interest was 266,931 lots, up 28,351 lots [1]. - **Spot Market**: The price of battery - grade lithium carbonate was 60,650 yuan, unchanged from the previous day; industrial - grade lithium carbonate was 59,050 yuan, also unchanged. The price of lithium spodumene concentrate (6%, CIF China) was 629 dollars, down 2 dollars; lithium mica (2.0% - 2.5%) was 1,225 yuan, unchanged [1]. 3.2 Macro and Industry News - **Price Information**: The SMM battery - grade lithium carbonate index price was 60,700 yuan/ton, down 101 yuan/ton compared to the previous working day. The average price of battery - grade lithium carbonate was 60,650 yuan/ton, unchanged; industrial - grade lithium carbonate was 59,050 yuan/ton, unchanged [2]. - **Project News**: Surge Battery Metals' Nevada North Lithium Project (NNLP) is expected to become a low - cost, long - cycle supply source of battery - grade materials in the US market. The project plans to build a lithium processing plant in two phases, with a total expected ore mining volume of 205 million tons and an average lithium grade of 4016 ppm. The annual processing capacity will reach 4.88 million tons on average over the project's lifecycle [3]. - **Inventory Information**: As of June 13, the lithium ore spot inventory in ports and warehouses of 24 sample lithium ore traders was 222,000 tons, down 1000 tons compared to the previous week. The salable inventory was 81,000 tons, down 9000 tons [3].

Group 1: Report's Core View - The short - term core contradiction in the market is the continuous excess pressure under the situation of increasing supply and stable demand. The lithium carbonate price lacks the momentum for continuous rebound, and attention should be paid to the downstream production resumption progress in June and the cost support strength of lithium ore prices [7] Group 2: Daily Market Summary - On June 6, the price of the lithium carbonate main contract closed at 60,440 yuan/ton, up 0.57% from the previous trading day. The futures rebounded and the spot price remained stable, causing the basis to converge [2] - The position of the main contract significantly shrank to 218,416 lots on June 6, a 5.69% decrease from the previous day. The trading volume slightly expanded to 256,782 lots, a 4.98% increase, but there was a lack of continuous position - increasing support [3] - The supply of lithium salts is expected to remain loose. The prices of spodumene and lepidolite concentrates remained flat, and the raw material cost support weakened. The operating rate of lithium salt plants is expected to increase in June, and the long - term supply pressure remains [4] - Downstream demand is structurally differentiated but overall weak. Although new energy vehicle sales are still resilient, power battery production has declined seasonally, and cathode material manufacturers are destocking, suppressing procurement demand [5] - Lithium carbonate inventory increased by 0.65% to 132,432 tons, continuing the inventory accumulation trend. The actual de - stocking power is insufficient due to the mismatch between supply and demand [6] Group 3: Industrial Chain Price Monitoring - On June 6, the price of the lithium carbonate main contract was 60,440 yuan/ton, up 0.57% from the previous day; the basis was 960 yuan/ton, down 20% [9] - The position of the main contract was 218,416 lots, down 5.69%; the trading volume was 256,782 lots, up 4.98% [9] - The market price of battery - grade lithium carbonate was 61,400 yuan/ton, up 0.16% from the previous day. The prices of spodumene concentrate, lepidolite concentrate, and some cathode materials remained flat [9] - The capacity utilization rate of lithium carbonate was 62.5%, up 0.4 percentage points from the previous period. The inventory of lithium carbonate was 132,432 tons, up 0.65% [9] Group 4: Industrial Dynamics and Interpretation - The price center of lithium carbonate spot transactions remained stable. In June, the supply of lithium carbonate is expected to increase while demand remains stable, and the excess pattern will continue [10] - In May, the retail sales of new energy vehicles reached 105.6 million, a 30% year - on - year increase, and the penetration rate reached 53.5%. The wholesale volume was 124 million, a 37% year - on - year increase [11]

Core Viewpoint - The lithium carbonate market is expected to remain weak in the short term due to oversupply, with prices likely to continue facing downward pressure [1] Supply and Demand Analysis - The battery-grade lithium carbonate index price is 60,456 yuan per ton, down 445 yuan per ton from the previous working day [1] - Demand from downstream material manufacturers is limited, with production increases in June being minimal, leading to a reliance on long-term contracts and customer-supplied materials for procurement [1] - On the supply side, previous slight price rebounds have provided opportunities for some non-integrated lithium salt manufacturers to resume production, creating expectations for increased market supply [1]