FM MB Lithium 1
FM MB Lithium 1
Mission Introduction
statement Fastmarkets’ reporters are required to abide by a code
of conduct and clear pricing procedures during their
Fastmarkets Metals, Minerals And Mining is the leading market reporting and pricing activities. Fastmarkets is
global provider of pricing intelligence for the non-ferrous completely independent and has no vested commercial
metal, steel, steelmaking raw materials, industrial interest in any of the markets it prices.
minerals, ferrous and non-ferrous scrap markets,
producing price assessments via Fastmarkets MB and We are the world’s largest dedicated price-reporting
Fastmarkets AMM since 1913 and 1882 respectively. team for metals and minerals, agricultural products and
forest products. We have hubs in London, New York,
Fastmarkets Forest Products is the leading global Boston, San Francisco, Eugene, Charlottesville, Atlanta,
provider of pricing intelligence for the global forest Pittsburgh, Memphis, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Shanghai,
products industry, incorporating Fastmarkets RISI, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Melbourne, Mumbai,
Fastmarkets FOEX and Random Lengths. Istanbul, Brussels and Helsinki.
And Fastmarkets Agriculture Products has delivered The aim of this document is to provide a clear overview
pricing transparency to opaque agriculture and energy of Fastmarkets’ methodology and specifications for
markets in the form of market-moving reporting and the prices it assesses. If you have any questions, please
commentary, trusted pricing and price forecasting contact Global Head of Editorial & Pricing Perrine
since 1865. Faye at perrine.faye@fastmarkets.com for metals
and minerals, Forest Products Senior VP of Indices
Our mission is to meet our markets’ data requirements Matt Graves at mgraves@fastmarkets.com for
honestly and independently, acting with integrity forest products or Editorial Director Tim Worledge at
and care to ensure that the trust and confidence tim.worledge@fastmarkets.com for agricultural
placed in the reliability of our pricing methodologies products.
is maintained. We do not have a vested interest in the
markets on which we report.
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Lithium
methodology
broad sample of market participants involved in the
physical lithium markets, with a good representation
of both sides of the market, including producers and
Methodology rationale consumers, as well as traders and intermediaries.
Fastmarkets produces independent, fair and Data is collected from industry participants directly
representative price assessments and indices involved in the market primarily by telephone but also
of metals and forest products prices on a daily, by email, digital messaging, face-to-face interaction or
bi-weekly, weekly, monthly or quarterly basis. by direct submission. All data supplied to Fastmarkets is
Fastmarkets’ rationale for adopting the price- kept confidential and stored in our secure online pricing
discovery process described in this methodology database system MInD (Market Information Database).
document is to produce consistent and representative Fastmarkets may sign a Data Submitter Agreement
indicators of value for the lithium markets over (DSA) with any data provider, if requested to do so,
defined trading periods. to maximize the number of data points collected for
inclusion in the assessment process. Any data received
Assessment objective subject to a DSA will be used in the pricing assessment
The assessor’s intended aim is to reflect Fastmarkets’ but will not be commented on.
assessment price definition:
Market participants may contribute data following
‘The prevailing level at which a commodity of stated a review by Fastmarkets of their activities. The aim
specification has or could be expected to have is to ensure that submitters have sufficient visibility
transacted over a defined period of time.’ and understanding of the market in question to be
able to provide reliable price data. We expect that
We summarize this for effective use as the prevailing data submitters taking part in the pricing process are
‘tradeable level’ of the market. authorized to report market data on behalf of their
organizations. Fastmarkets encourages organizations to
Time window submit all their pricing data, especially all the concluded
The windows for Fastmarkets’ lithium assessments transactions. Price reporters generally speak to, and
were determined after considering the number of data collect data from, front office staff directly involved
points that Fastmarkets can reasonably expect to in the commercial activity of buying and selling.
collect on a consistent basis over the selected period Fastmarkets also welcomes organizations to submit
to support the price assessment process, ensuring that transaction data from authorized back-office functions.
the assessments produced are reliable indicators for Fastmarkets’ Data Submitter Policy provides guidelines
the physical markets they relate to. to ensure the high level of data quality and integrity we
expect from contributing organizations providing pricing
Fastmarkets’ lithium daily assessments are published data. The policy can be found on Fastmarkets’ website,
at 1pm London time and the deadline for data or is available on request.
submission is 12pm London time. The data collection
window runs from the submission deadline of the Depending on market liquidity, Fastmarkets reserves
last price assessment to 12pm on the day of the the right to also base its prices on bids, offers, deals
next assessment. All other Fastmarkets’ lithium heard and market participant indications of prevailing
assessments are published at 4pm London time and tradeable values or other indications such as trigger
the deadline for data submission is 3pm London time. prices that might prompt a sale or purchase.
Data received after the deadline for data submission
will not be included in the price assessment. The data
collection window runs from the submission deadline
of the last price assessment to 3pm on the day of the
next assessment. Only data points communicated to
Fastmarkets within the data collection window will be
included in the price discovery process. The published
prices are reflective of the levels seen during this stated
collection period.
Data contribution
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Fastmarkets has defined clear specifications for its The significance of a data point is determined based
lithium assessments, as outlined below, to match the on its effectiveness in identifying the tradeable level
industry standard. These specifications have been of the market under assessment. Transactions are
determined in consultation with market participants considered highest in the significance hierarchy, ‘tight’
and are regularly reviewed. All the reference units, such bids/offers are of secondary importance, followed
as currencies and volumes used in the assessments, by data sources’ own indications of a tradeable level
are in line with recognized lithium market conventions when they have no business to report. Tight bids/offers
and trading practices. The specifications also have a are typically defined as those being within the range
published minimum volume size accepted. of transaction and/or indication data points, thereby
helping narrow our assessment of the tradeable range.
Fastmarkets aims to collect full details of each More speculative bids/offers, outside of the range of
transaction, bid and offer, including brand, commercial other data, would typically be of lowest significance. In
terms and any other details relevant to value and some circumstances, firm bids higher than transactions
pricing. Reporters ensure that the information they or offers lower than transactions may be considered
receive meet the specifications or can be normalized of high significance if deemed to demonstrate a clear
to them. Any data that does not fall within the stated directional change in market floor or ceiling levels.
quality ranges of the specification will not be eligible for
consideration in the assessment. The published assessment will typically be reflective of
the highest-confidence and highest-significance data
collected in that pricing session.
Establishing a data hierarchy All Fastmarkets price specifications define the minimum
Once data collection is complete, Fastmarkets reviews lot size accepted. When volume information is available,
the data points applying its methodology and its this is also taken into consideration in the assessment
expert judgement to set the price range to reflect the process. As a general rule, larger deals may typically be
representative spread of prices at which business has considered more significant, but Fastmarkets also tries
been transacted, offered or bid, or indicated in the to ascertain what sort of price differential different lot
absence of business. sizes might carry.
To produce the price assessment, a consideration Fastmarkets will also compare the information received
hierarchy is established based on an evaluation of first, from a single source with the information provided by
the reporter’s confidence in the data’s reliability, and the same source in the previous pricing cycle. This way,
second, the significance of the data. if a source consistently gives lower or higher indications
than the consensus, Fastmarkets can still use the data
The confidence level, or trustworthiness, of a data for directional context without it unduly influencing the
point is generally based on the transparency of the assessment.
activity, whether it was reported by a party directly
involved or was ‘heard’ activity, corroboration by other Normalization
market participants and the level of detail provided Where necessary in certain assessments, data that falls
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within the stated specification ranges for consideration single entity providing an unacceptably significant (50%
may be normalized to determine the equivalent price or more) proportion of data.
for the respective base specification if one exists. This
may include, for instance, variances in material type or Criteria for discarding pricing data and the removal
quality, delivery terms of location, payment terms or of outliers
cargo size. Fastmarkets price assessments are intended to reflect
the ‘open and competitive’ market level. Reporters
A typical example is a data point that is adjusted due therefore may apply expert judgment to exclude data
to Incoterms (International Commercial Terms) being deemed unrepresentative, questionable or unreliable
different from Fastmarkets’ specifications. For example, prior to consideration in the final assessment. Data that
a data contributor will report a transaction done with falls outside of the respective assessment specifications,
a lithium consumer on a delivered basis, as opposed or which cannot be normalized to a base specification
to the ex-works incoterm specified in Fastmarkets’ with sufficient confidence, is also discarded. Decisions
methodology. In which case Fastmarkets will normalize to discard data points are recorded in the form of a
the transaction’s value by subtracting the cost of written rationale in our internal pricing database, where
moving material to the consumer. To calculate that cost, they are reviewed and approved under the two-tier peer
Fastmarkets will ask the data contributor to net back review process.
the transaction to an ex-works basis as well as using
its own cost estimate, which is regularly assessed and Data may be discarded as outliers based on the
reviewed by its dedicated price reporters. Fastmarkets identification of external factors that may be distorting
reserves the right to exercise editorial judgment to net the price. Price-affecting side terms, inconsistencies
transactions back to typical commercial terms. in information reported, or suspected motivation to
unfairly influence the price discovery process would
Full details of data inputs prior and post normalization typically be grounds for removal of data, as would
are stored in Fastmarkets’ electronic database MInD and activity not considered to have taken place at ‘arm’s
may be accessed at any time for internal review and length’. Outliers will be investigated; more detail may
auditing purposes. be requested to determine possible reasons behind an
anomalous price, and efforts will be made to identify
Where prices cannot be normalized with sufficient the counterparty to cross-verify information. Suspected
confidence or precision, such data may be discarded attempts to influence the assessment unfairly may
from the assessment. Fastmarkets’ aim is to balance result in the data provider being warned or excluded.
the requirement to keep assessments reflective of their Fastmarkets reserves the right to see contracts and
base specifications with the need to source a sufficiently signed paperwork before inclusion of the data in the
robust data set for consideration. assessment. If this is refused, the data supplied may be
excluded from the assessment process.
Minimum data threshold
In order to provide a representative price for the
market, the price reporter aims to collect as many
representative data points as possible within the
defined window. Since commodity markets differ in
Data publication
liquidity levels at different periods, the methodology Peer review process
does not set any minimum number, or threshold, All Fastmarkets’ price assessments are set by a
of transactions to be gathered on which to base first reporter who covers that specific market, peer
the assessment. A pricing session typically includes reviewed by a second reporter, and always signed-off
concluded transactions, bids and offers, contributors’ by a senior reporter or editor prior to publication. This
market indications or deals heard. peer review process, which takes place in Fastmarkets’
MInD system and is fully auditable, is in place to
In each pricing session, reporters aim to source data make sure that pricing procedures and methodologies
from a suitably diverse set of participants from a cross are correctly and consistently applied and to ensure
section of the market (producers, consumers, traders). integrity and quality of the published prices. Relevant
In the unlikely situation that more than half of the information, including all price inputs and editorial
pricing data collected in a session is provided by a single judgements, are securely retained in MInD for at least
source, the assessor may refer to data collected in the five years to maintain a full audit trail. Price reporters
previous pricing session to avoid a dependency on a are formally trained in the price discovery process and
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Lithium
must abide by a written Code of Conduct and Pricing be included in the assessment. No assessment will be
Procedures. amended due to the emergence of new data or market
activity after the initial publication. Retrospective
For certain prices Fastmarkets also publishes pricing changes to the published values will only be made in
rationales to explain the assessment, describing why a cases of technical, administrative or interpretation error
particular price or range was determined based on the in line with Fastmarkets’ Correction Policy.
market information collected. These notes explain for
instance whether any data has been excluded and why,
information on the data collected and whether fallback
procedures have been applied. Methodology and
Publication
At the end of the peer review process, Fastmarkets MB
price specifications
and AMM publish their price assessments via MInD and
on the Fastmarkets Dashboard and on product-specific
review process
websites and in the Price Book. Fastmarkets RISI, FOEX Methodology review and pricing notices
and Random Lengths publish their price assessments Fastmarkets aims to continually develop and periodically
on the Intelligence Center, mobile app and in dedicated review its methodologies in consultation with industry
newsletters. participants, with the objective to adopt product
specifications, trading terms and conditions that reflect
The lithium assessments are reported as a range, which and are representative of typical working practices in
reflects where the bulk of the business has been or is the industries it serves.
likely to have been concluded over the quotation period.
Fastmarkets carries out a formal review and approval
To enhance market transparency and to provide of its methodology and price specifications on an
evidence of data inputs that support the price discovery annual basis. The process is initiated by Fastmarkets
process, Fastmarkets may publish trade logs for its publishing on its website an open consultation at
lithium price assessments (while maintaining full least one month (or around 20 working days) before
counterparty confidentiality) detailing pricing data and the annual methodology review is due, inviting
volumes received from data contributors. market feedback over the duration of that period.
The timeframe for the consultation and method of
Fastmarkets’ lithium daily price assessments are submission are both clearly stated.
published every work day by 1pm London time. All
other lithium prices are published on their assessment Following a review of market participants’ feedback,
day at 4pm London time. Fastmarkets lithium price comments and suggestions, Fastmarkets concludes
assessments follow the holiday calendar of the the consultation by publishing a notice stating
country in which the price or the team assessing it is whether or not any methodology changes are
based (England, United States and China). For more proposed. If suggested, changes are classified either
information on Fastmarkets practices during holiday as ‘material’ or ‘immaterial’. Material changes
periods, click here. are those that, once implemented, may result in
fundamental changes to the published price. These
Corrections and delays include specification changes or structural changes
If an assessment is published incorrectly, it will be to assessments. Immaterial changes are those that
rectified and republished as soon as possible. A pricing will not result in a different price level once they are
notice explaining the reasons for the correction will also implemented.
be published promptly.
If a material change to the methodology is required,
Fastmarkets uses several procedures and measures to Fastmarkets includes in its pricing notice: the outline of
avoid delays in the publication of its assessments. In the proposed change; the rationale or motivation for
the event of a delay, however, Fastmarkets will inform proposing such a change; and a proposed timetable for
subscribers as soon as possible. the date on which, if the change goes ahead, it would
be implemented. If received feedback is considered
In the event of late publication, only data that has been insufficient to support a material change, Fastmarkets
received within the correct standard timeframe will publishes a new notice extending the consultation and
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inviting comments on the new proposal. escalated to the internal compliance department. For
A record of the methodology review is sent to the Risk more details refer to Fastmarkets’ Complaint Handling
& Compliance team. All comments received from the Policy available on Fastmarkets’ website.
market are assumed to be confidential and are treated
as such unless stated otherwise. Fastmarkets takes all queries and complaints seriously
and will seek to provide an explanation of the prices
When Fastmarkets proposes a change to the wherever possible. It is important to note, however, that
methodology, it should be understood that no decision input data remain confidential and cannot be provided
has yet been made and that the proposal to make a to third parties.
change should not automatically be understood as
confirmation that the change will happen.
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Lithium carbonate
$/kg
Quality: Min 99% Li2CO3 (qualified for
use in technical and industrial
technical & industrial Quantity:
applications). Powder
Min 5 tonnes
grade, spot price Location:
Timing:
ddp Europe
30 days
Unit: USD/kg
CHINA Publication: Weekly, Thursday, 3-4pm London
time
MB-LI-0034 Lithium carbonate 99% Li2CO3
min, technical and industrial
grade, spot price range exw NORTH AMERICA
domestic China, yuan/tonne
Quality: Min 99% Li2CO3 (qualified for MB-LI-0046 ithium carbonate 99% Li2CO3
L
use in technical and industrial min, technical and industrial
applications). Powder grades, spot price ddp US and
Quantity: Min 5 tonnes Canada, $ per kg
Location: Ex-works China, VAT included Quality: Min 99% Li2CO3 (qualified for
Timing: 30 days use in technical and industrial
Unit: CNY/tonne applications), powder
Publication: Weekly, Thursday, 3-4pm London Quantity: Min 5 tonnes
time Location: ddp US and Canada
Timing: 30 days
Unit: USD per kg
CHINA, JAPAN & SOUTH KOREA Publication: Weekly, Thursday, 10-11am NY time
Lithium carbonate
MB-LI-0028 Lithium carbonate 99% Li2CO3
min, technical and industrial
grades, spot price cif China,
Japan & Korea, $/kg
Quality: Min 99% Li2CO3 (qualified for
technical & industrial
use in technical and industrial
applications). Powder
grade, contract price
Quantity: Min 5 tonnes
Location: cif China, Japan & South Korea CHINA, JAPAN & SOUTH KOREA
Timing: 60 days
Unit: USD/kg MB-LI-0026 Lithium carbonate 99% Li2CO3
Publication: Weekly, Thursday, 3-4pm London time min, technical and industrial
grades, contract price cif China,
Japan & Korea, $/kg
Quality: Min 99% Li2CO3 (qualified for
use in technical and industrial
applications). Powder
Quantity: Min 20 tonnes
Location: cif China, Japan & South Korea
Unit: USD/kg
Publication: Monthly, last Wednesday of month,
3-4pm London time
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Lithium minerals
Spodumene price
CHINA
MB-LI-0012 podumene min 6% Li2O, spot
S
price, cif China, $/tonne
Quality: A mineral concentrate accepted
by buyers for conversion in
lithium chemicals used in battery
applications (any size will be
accepted) and with the following
chemical composition: Li2O 6%
(min 5.0% Li2O and max 6.1% Li2O
accepted if it can be normalized to
6%); Fe2O3 < 1.3% (max 1.5% Fe2O3
accepted if it can be normalized to <
1.3%), H2O < 10%
Quantity: minimum 3,000 tonnes
Location: cif China
Timing: 90 days
Unit: USD/tonne
Publication: Daily, 1pm London time
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Jingtai Lun
Regional Managing Editor
Jingtai.lun@fastmarkets.com
Europe
Callum Perry
Strategic Markets Editor
+44 20 8135 5291
Callum.perry@fastmarkets.com
Ewan Thomson
Senior Price Reporter
+44 20 8135 5323
Ewan.thomson@fastmarkets.com
Jon Stibbs
Technology & Energy Metals Europe Editor
+44 20 8135 8414
Jon.stibbs@fastmarkets.com
Evaluations or calculations of prices and price indices by us are based upon certain market assumptions and evaluation methodologies, and may not conform to prices
or information available from third parties. There may be errors or defects in such assumptions or methodologies that cause resultant evaluations to be inappropriate
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