Battery Materials Market Weekly

Week 6 Analysis (Feb 5, 2026)

Executive Summary

LCE Corrects Sharply

Lithium Carbonate pulls back to ¥140,000/t ($20,110), down 14.6% WoW. Profit-taking and demand weakness pressure the market.

Cathode Prices Ease

LFP Power Grade dips to ¥49,700/t ($7,139), down 10.8% WoW on lithium correction.

LiPF₆ Decline Continues

Electrolyte salt slides to ¥130,000/t ($18,674), down 5.8% WoW on overcapacity.

Anode Margin Capture

Mid-tier artificial anode holds at ¥27,500/t ($3,950). Producers capture margin from feedstock shifts.

Market at a Glance

Weekly Price Direction Heatmap (USD/t, Ex-VAT)

Anode Materials

High-End Artificial

→ STABLE

$7,685 USD/t

NCM Cathodes

5-Series (Single Crystal)

↓ PLUNGE

$25,626 USD/t

LFP Cathode

Power Grade

↓ PLUNGE

$7,139 USD/t

Lithium Carbonate

Battery Grade

↓ PLUNGE

$20,110 USD/t

LiOH

Battery Granular

↓ PLUNGE

$20,972 USD/t

LiPF₆

Average Market

↓ PLUNGE

$18,674 USD/t

LCO

4.35V Grade

→ STABLE

$57,170 USD/t

LMO

Dynamical MnO₂

↓ SOFT

$8,331 USD/t

Anode Market Analysis

Graphite Pricing (USD/t Avg)

Artificial Graphite remains the dominant power baseline.

Market Commentary

Feedstock Dynamics

GPC and needle coke markets remain largely stable. Anode producers continue operating with measured inventory management.

Supply Discipline

Anode enterprises producing on strict "sales-based" model to avoid inventory bloat. Supply discipline keeping prices stable.

Technology Shift: LWG vs Acheson

Transition to LWG furnaces (2,500-3,000 kWh/MT) from Acheson (4,000-4,800 kWh/MT) enables massive margin capture for advanced producers.

Cathode Market: Pricing Snapshots

LFP (Power Grade)$7,139/t ↓
NCM 613 (Single Crystal)$25,626/t ↓
NCM 5-Series (Single/Power)$25,626/t ↓
LCO (4.35V)$57,170/t →
LMO (Dynamical MnO₂)$8,331/t ↓

Cathode Dynamics:Cathode prices easing on lithium correction. LFP dipped 10.8% WoW to $7,139/t.

Cathode Comparison (USD/t)

Direct lithium cost pass-through across chemistries.

Lithium Carbonate Market

Battery Grade (99.5%)Pulling Back
$20,110/t ↓
Industrial Grade (99.2%)Following Trend
$19,679/t ↓

Market Analysis: LCE corrects to ¥140,000/t ($20,110), down 14.6% WoW. Profit-taking after extended rally.

LCE Price Movement (USD/t Avg)

Correcting around the $20.1k level.

Electrolyte & LiOH Markets

Lithium Hydroxide (USD/t Avg)

LiOH trading at $-862/t premium to LCE.

LiPF₆ Status (USD/t Avg)

Declining on overcapacity.

What Moved the Market This Week?

Lithium Profit-Taking Wave

Speculative positions are being unwound after the sharp rally. Downstream buyers stepping back from spot.

Electrolyte Overcapacity Weighs

LiPF₆ continues descent (-5.8% WoW) as new capacity outpaces demand growth.

LiOH-LCE Spread Narrows

The spread between LiOH and LCE has narrowed, suggesting more balanced supply-demand dynamics.

Anode Supply Discipline

Graphite anode enterprises continue "sales-based" production model. Despite feedstock cost movements, prices stable as manufacturers prioritize margin.

Strategic Outlook

Risk Warning: The lithium correction provides temporary relief, but structural supply constraints remain. Use this window to secure favorable term contracts.

D3CT Recommendation: Capitalize on the pullback for strategic procurement. Build inventory at these levels while maintaining hedging for potential rebounds.

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