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EIA: Crude oil demand returns faster than supply, increasing prices and reducing inventories

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The price of US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil is near its highest level since 2014, increasing rapidly from low prices in mid-2020 as demand returns faster than supply, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). US crude oil inventories were 440.3 million barrels by the end of June 2020.

Oil 417
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Cobalt Institute: cobalt market weakened since 2022 peak, but in longer term, demand will outpace supply

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The Cobalt Institute’s Cobalt Market Report, prepared by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, finds that cobalt market conditions have weakened substantially since the price peak in 2022. This dynamic will likely remain through to 2024, the report says, as a plentiful and growing supply surplus maintains pressure on prices.

Supplies 259
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BloombergNEF annual battery price survey finds prices fell 6% from 2020 to 2021

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Lithium-ion battery pack prices, which were above $1,200 per kilowatt-hour in 2010, have fallen 89% in real terms to $132/kWh in 2021, according to a new report from BloombergNEF (BNEF). All prices are in real 2021 $, unless stated as nominal.) At the cell level, average BEV prices were just $97/kWh.

Price 469
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EIA expects significant increases in US wholesale electricity prices this summer

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The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts that prices in US wholesale electricity markets this summer will significantly increase over last summer’s prices. EIA forecasts summer electricity prices will average $98/MWh in California’s CAISO market and $90/MWh in the ERCOT market in Texas.

Price 476
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Argonne study finds rare earth supply disruptions can have long-range impacts

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Disruptions to this supply can have wide-ranging consequences, but the understanding of how those disruptions play out in global markets is limited. China dominates the global rare earths market. Causes of supply disruptions. The researchers at Argonne are using a unique computer model to understand the effects.

Supplies 468
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Benchhmark report: cobalt’s price rises highlight shift to battery-driven pricing dynamics

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While cobalt prices have shown positive signs of late, there are nuances within the market which highlight the key fundamentals that will likely decide cobalt’s future price trend—which is taking its cues less and less from the industrial metal supply chain, according to a new report from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Price 382
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Benchmark: Falling lithium prices weigh on black mass prices in China

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Prices for black mass material—from process scrap fell by 5% in July from a month earlier, according to Benchmark’s inaugural black mass price assessment, due to a decline in the underlying prices for lithium. Prices for battery-grade lithium carbonate in China have fallen by 47% year-to-date, according to Benchmark.

Price 195