Battery Metals

Lithium Carbonate CIF CJK (Fastmarkets)

Futures
Globex Code
LTCJ5
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Last Updated24 Apr 2025 08:53:08 PM CT.
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Strategically control lithium price risk

Unlock the electrifying potential of Lithium Carbonate futures and harness the power of the metals market. The contract is fueled by daily assessments and settled based on arithmetic averages published by Fastmarkets each business day of the contract month.

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Features and benefits

Central point of price discovery

Access transparent prices nearly around the clock on CME Globex, enabling you to manage risk.

Protect profit margins

Use the futures to create hedging strategies to minimize risk of adverse price moves.

Hedge your price risk

Hedge your lithium price risk using a centrally cleared financial instrument.

Execute long-term hedging strategies

The contract is available up to 24 months forward, establishing the forward price curve needed to hedge long-term risk effectively.

Lithium Carbonate FAQ

Why Lithium Carbonate futures?

Lithium is a key material in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries used for electric vehicles as well as other products in various industries. Growth in the electric vehicles sector and large-scale battery storage application is driving a significant increase in demand for lithium in its various forms, which include lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide. Following the successful launch of lithium hydroxide in 2021, CME Group is now introducing Lithium Carbonate futures to its international client base.

The underlying Fastmarkets assessment tracks the spot price of battery-grade lithium carbonate basis CIF in China, Japan, and South Korea, where most of the industry’s manufacturing capacity is located. With this product, CME Group allows you to hedge your lithium price risk using a centrally cleared financial instrument. With both lithium carbonate and hydroxide available on CME Group, users can now hedge the specific lithium type they need and manage the price differential (the basis) between carbonate and hydroxide.

The contract is cash-settled, which means that this product lets you manage your commodity price risk separately from your physical business. Lithium Carbonate CIF CJK (Fastmarkets) futures can be a cost-efficient hedging tool to protect profit margins and minimize risk.

The Lithium Carbonate CIF CJK (Fastmarkets) futures contract is available for up to 24 months forward, thereby establishing a forward price curve and empowering customers to execute long term hedging strategies.

Who trades Lithium futures?

Market participants seeking a central point of price discovery, price transparency, and risk management use our products. The product should be of interest to miners, battery manufacturers, automakers, and merchant traders. In addition, the product will give financial market participants access to lithium prices without having to manage a physical delivery process.

How can you trade Lithium futures?
  • Electronically on-screen on the CME Globex platform
  • Centrally cleared through CME ClearPort via specialized IDB brokers or directly bilaterally agreed between market participants

Explore this product in depth

Review contract highlights

View full contract specs
  • Contract Unit
    1000 kilograms
  • Price Quotation
    U.S. dollars and cents per kilogram
  • Product Code
    CME Globex: LTC
    CME ClearPort: LTC
    Clearing: LTC
  • Trading Hours
    Sunday - Friday 5:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET) with a 60-minute break each day beginning at 4:00 p.m. (5:00 p.m. ET)
View full contract specs
Last Updated24 Apr 2025 08:53:07 PM CT.

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