Lithium price today: Albemarle and SQM stock jump before the bell as China policy keeps the rally alive
New York, Jan 14, 2026, 07:17 EST — Premarket Albemarle shares climbed 4.5% in premarket action Wednesday, while Chilean miner SQM gained 4.2%, following a new rise in lithium prices in China. Battery-grade lithium carbonate ticked up 2.19% to 163,000 yuan per metric ton, according to Shanghai Metals Market data. (Metal) Lithium’s price swings carry weight since it’s the crucial battery metal powering electric vehicles and grid storage. Even slight shifts can upend producers’ cash flow. Following a prolonged downcycle that tightened margins and stalled projects, traders have flipped lithium back into a momentum-driven market. Beijing’s latest policy move is