According to the latest import and export figures released in April, the price of lithium carbonate has continued to be strong, and the cif price of some 100-ton lithium carbonate contracts has hit $14.5 / kg.

The rise in the price of lithium carbonate imports and the wide narrowing of the price gap show that supply and demand continue to be tight.

(1) China's lithium carbonate imports in April of 2474 tons, up 33.45% year on year, rose 19.60%, the average price of $11.55 / kg cif, given the current rate of 6.88 and 17% VAT, the equivalent of 93100 yuan/ton.

(2) in January and April, the total amount of lithium carbonate imports in China was 9,336 tons, up 54.99% year on year, and the average price of China's lithium carbonate was $10.91 / kg, up 72.19% year on year. Net imports totaled 8,832 tons, up 54.97 percent year on year.

(3) further subdivided, excluding overseas enterprise to its own traders sales (large amount, but the price is low) and the influence of tonnage scattered order (the unit price is too high), in April, the domestic part of the best t lithium carbonate import prices have hit $14.50 / kg, equivalent to tax 116800 yuan/ton, and some small and medium-sized orders 20 ton price 125000 yuan/ton.

(4) under the demand driven, the overseas agreement price has increased substantially, and the price difference between domestic and foreign countries has narrowed significantly, and there is no gap between the price of some 100 tons and 10 ton orders and the spot price of domestic industrial grade.

The volume of lithium hydroxide exports increased year on year, confirming the trend of overseas demand.

(1) in April, the export volume of lithium hydroxide in China was 1,915 tons, which was up 164.49% year on year, down 1.51% from the previous month, and the average fob price was 11.68 usd/kg.

(2) from January to April, the total output of lithium hydroxide in China was 5681 tons, a significant increase of 202.92% compared with the previous year, while the average fob price was 12.28 usd/kg, a small increase of 10.56% year on year. In January and April, the net exports of lithium hydroxide were 5,641 tons, up 206.97 percent year-on-year.

(3) as a whole, China is a big producer of lithium hydroxide, but the domestic lithium hydroxide market has not been started. The significant increase in the volume of China's lithium hydroxide exports is a reflection of the Chinese strategy of yabao, and also indicates the rapid growth of the demand for lithium hydroxide.

In addition, the export price of lithium hydroxide is relatively flat due to the internal sales of foreign suppliers, and the actual price center of external sales is between 15 and 20 usd/kg.

Since the beginning of 2017, the overall demand for lithium and middle reaches has exceeded the expectation, and the production and sales of the terminal will be kept in the future.

(1) the import and export price is not a leading indicator, but it is still an effective guide to the fundamentals of supply and demand.

(2).although the current supply of lithium carbonate, lithium hydroxide, although for big clients of quarterly contracts price is relatively modest, but the battery level monthly price of lithium carbonate has arrived at 14.5-150000 yuan/ton range, some large lithium saltworks because of tight supplies and even hard to offer for small customers.

(3) in 2017, the overall lithium processing link is faced with certain concentrate treatment and effective production capacity constraints; Prices are expected to remain strong in the third quarter, but the price determination factor will shift more from supply and demand to actual sales of new energy vehicle terminals.