Lithium Metal Price Trend and Forecast
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North America
Lithium Metal prices witnessed a plunging price trend in the third quarter of 2022 in the US market. According to market participants, rising demand for consumer electronics and lithium for producing electric vehicle (EV) batteries caused lithium prices to fall in July. Despite price pressures, Chilean miners anticipated an increase in lithium inquiries in the fourth quarter. However, the bearish price trend of Lithium Metal took a new turn in August and September, driving down the prices of companies dealing in the element, with Lithium Americas being one prominent manufacturer who faced indifferent results. Buyers argue that sourcing critical raw materials like lithium locally has been the only logical step toward creating a vertically integrated domestic supply chain. The emergence of a legitimate EV market is driving demand for lithium metal. In September, the company's lithium exports fell significantly in volume and price, falling 10% and 11%, respectively, month over month. As a ripple effect, the Lithium Metal (99.9%) prices for FOB Boston (USA) settled at USD 401670/MT.
Asia Pacific
In the Chinese market, Lithium Metal prices witnessed mixed sentiment in the third quarter of 2022 amidst fluctuations in the feedstock prices. Because of the ongoing maintenance period and the regional market's economic woes, the overall demand outlook remained constrained in July and mid-August. Record-breaking heat waves have hampered the outlook for domestic supply in China's ongoing energy crisis. Furthermore, the Chinese electricity shortage forced limited transactions and market participants to wait and watch the outlook. However, the domestic Lithium Metal market price was at an all-time high in September. The Price of Lithium Carbonate was running strongly, coupled with an increase in downstream stocking and purchasing, cost-side support, and demand-side increased, driving the market to run strongly, the overall market trend was positive, and the focus of lithium hydroxide market negotiation was high. As a ripple effect, the Lithium Metal (99.9%) prices for FOB Shanghai (China) settled at USD 451700/MT.Europe
During the third quarter of 2022, Lithium Metal prices showcased a stagnancy in their price trend in the European market. According to market participants, the stagnant prices were caused by pandemic delays and supply disruptions driven by summer power outages in China and demand and supportive global policies that drove up electric vehicle sales. However, lithium metal prices have more than tripled in the last year, raising the cost of batteries used in electric vehicles, with recent gains driven by solid demand and disruptions at a domestic manufacturing hub. As market activity in Northwest Europe resumed in mid-September, the European Union passed the "Critical Raw Material Act" to ensure the supply of lithium and rare earth metals. As a ripple effect, the Lithium Metal granulate prices for FOB Hamburg (Germany) settled at USD 89650/MT.ChemAnalyst tackles the primary difficulty areas of the worldwide chemical, petroleum, pharmaceutical, and petrochemical industries, empowering decision-makers to make informed decisions. It examines and analyses geopolitical risks, environmental concerns, raw material availability, supply chain functioning, and technological disruption. It focuses on market volatility and guarantees that clients manage obstacles and hazards effectively and efficiently. ChemAnalyst's primary expertise has been data timeliness and accuracy, benefiting both local and global industries by tuning in to real-time data points to execute multibillion-dollar projects internationally.