CITIC Securities said the sector’s sharp outperformance since September 2025 was driven by a surge in energy storage that lifted both volumes and margins, and that the trend strengthened on clearer domestic storage capacity subsidies and higher international oil prices, according to Jiemian News. The brokerage said expectations have since cooled after oil prices fell following the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the market to question demand in 2026-27.
CITIC Securities said the key issue is how fast demand will grow in 2027 and what the supply-demand balance will look like. It expects overly bearish 2027 forecasts to be revised between July and November, when lithium carbonate prices are seen stabilizing and storage tenders, 2027 orders and delivery guidance become clearer, opening the way for a sector recovery.