CICC Wealth Futures: Speculation on supply disruptions faces demand-side cooling; lithium carbonate maintains a range-bound trend

March 1-22, 2026, new energy vehicle retail sales decreased by 17% year-on-year (from the China Passenger Car Association), downstream cathode materials such as power-type ternary materials and lithium iron phosphate saw slight price declines of 0.27% and 0.63% respectively, overall battery cell prices remained stable but purchasing interest was subdued; reports indicate that downstream material manufacturers had sufficient inventory at the beginning of the month, with weak restocking demand, mainly just meeting immediate needs. The hype around supply disruptions faced cooling demand, and lithium carbonate maintained a range-bound fluctuation trend. (CICC Wealth Futures)