New York, Feb 10, 2026, 06:44 EST — Premarket
Spot lithium carbonate prices edged up in China on Tuesday. The SMM battery-grade index hit 134,406 yuan per metric ton, with battery-grade spot trades assessed between 132,000 and 140,000 yuan—an average of 136,000. Futures action was muted; the most-traded lithium carbonate contract barely moved. SMM described spot market activity as sluggish, citing thinner downstream demand and slower logistics. 1
The pause is notable, given how much the market is relying on just a couple of pillars—supply restraint and a pickup in battery-storage demand. Either one can falter fast. Over in Australia, PLS Group announced a two-year offtake arrangement to supply 150,000 tonnes of spodumene concentrate (SC6) to China’s Canmax Technologies. The contract sets a floor price at $1,000 per tonne, though the final pricing will track market rates. PLS described the setup as giving “downside protection” but leaving room for upside. One catch: the agreement hinges on a $100 million unsecured, interest-free prepayment. Shares jumped as much as 5.3% to A$4.39 early, according to the report. 2
Albemarle finished the U.S. session at $165.76, climbing roughly 1.4%. SQM’s U.S. shares, on the other hand, dipped 0.4% to close at $71.15.
Traders are left with one main issue: after the recent restocking phase, will physical demand pick up, or do battery and cathode producers just sit on their stocks and try to force prices down further?
Floor-priced deals and prepayments, for their part, say plenty. These setups can help miners manage cash flow when spot prices jump around. Still, they highlight the challenge: locking in both volumes and prices isn’t easy.
The downside remains just a step away. When shipping slows and liquidity dries up, even minor shifts tend to get magnified. If battery orders suddenly slip, or if supply comes roaring back sooner than expected, spot prices could tumble before producers can catch up.
For executives, the challenge goes well beyond day-to-day prices. Sibanye Stillwater CEO Richard Stewart argued that locking in long-term offtake deals can be just as critical as the spot price for protecting new output from being swamped by oversupply. Stewart also noted that if the Keliber project shifts to battery-grade material, the aim is to feed European supply chains. 3
For now, China’s futures market looks set to call the shots, with physical buyers eyeing any move in spot discounts as activity tapers and sellers push to see just how firm they can keep their offers.
Albemarle’s fourth-quarter 2025 numbers drop after the NYSE close on Wednesday, Feb. 11. Management hosts its conference call the next morning, Thursday, Feb. 12, at 8 a.m. EST. Watch for updates on pricing, contracts, and demand—these will set the tone for lithium through the back half of February. 4
