The European Commission released legislative proposals on December 10 aiming to create a legal framework on sustainability, traceability and circularity of battery production throughout its life cycle.

China is currently the key player in the lithium-ion battery supply chain and will remain dominant for the next five years, according to the head of energy storage at Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The lithium market has grown to a stage where it can support a futures contract, especially in the context of significant price moves in recent years and forecasts of further growth, Robin Martin, head of market development at the London Metal Exchange, said during a Fastmarkets conference on Monday October 26.

While the initial appetite to hedge exposure to volatile lithium prices came from automakers expanding their electric vehicle (EV) fleets, an appreciation for short-term pricing and risk management tools has since filtered upstream, delegates heard during Fastmarkets’ virtual Lithium Supply & Markets conference on Monday October 26.

Lithium spot prices are starting to change direction upward but it will take time for a rebound across the whole lithium complex, Fastmarkets head of battery raw materials research and base metals William Adams during a panel discussion at the Lithium Supply & Markets conference on Monday October 26.