OIES Podcast - The outlook for lithium markets and prices

Podcasts - Oxford Institute for Energy Studies

In this latest OIES podcast James Henderson talks to Ahmed Mehdi about his latest paper “Lithium price volatility: where next for the market?”. They start by discussing the importance of lithium for the energy transition and the different uses and chemistries that are involved in the global cathode market. They then move on to assess recent price movements, which have seen the lithium price fall sharply from historic highs in 2022. They consider the shifts in demand that are being driven by EV sales and have a particular focus on the Chinese market, where the influence of supply and demand issues is very strong. They also look at the emerging new sources of supply that are affecting the global balance and consider what price is needed to support future investment. They also discuss the various forms of contract and spot price mechanisms that are being developed and consider how the market might move towards maturity over the next few years.