Citi Trims Lithium Call, Sees $12,000 a Ton Within Three Months

Citi has slashed its short-term lithium numbers, according to tokenpost.com. The bank now sees both lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide at $12,000 a ton over the next three months. That's a hefty markdown for the battery metal.

The carbonate forecast fell by $8,000, now at $12,000. The hydroxide estimate dropped by $5,000, landing at the same $12,000 level. Citi's revision wipes out the premium hydroxide used to carry over carbonate, at least on this three-month view.

Citi didn't stop at the quarter. It also lowered its lithium price outlook across the next two years, pointing to slower growth in battery demand, uncertainty around trade and broader macroeconomic headwinds weighing on the market.

Not everyone is bearish. A separate Mizuho forecast calls for lithium carbonate to hit $22,500 per metric ton by the end of 2027, up from $18,375. That's a much longer runway than Citi's three-month snapshot, so the two calls aren't measuring the same race.

The split lays out the real question for lithium watchers: is this a short-term demand air pocket or a longer recovery story? Citi's answer leans cautious for now, while Mizuho is pricing a rebound further out.