Strong demand, strong supply: Anode & Graphite Q1 2026 Price Review

The anode active material (AAM) market, across both natural and synthetic chemistries, remained broadly stable throughout Q1 2026. Firm downstream demand, particularly from the energy storage sector, was offset by continued structural oversupply and stronger buyer leverage. Benchmark data shows that medium capacity synthetic graphite AAM prices rose ~1% between mid-January and mid-March, whilst all other grades remained stable over the same period.

Throughout January, demand held up well despite the usual seasonal slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) battery production. ESS demand remained robust and provided the main source of support, with some downstream battery producers also bringing purchases forward ahead of CNY. Despite this, the market remained oversupplied, allowing supported demand to be absorbed without difficulty and limiting any meaningful pricing power for AAM producers.

On the feedstock side, most natural graphite producers had entered partial or full shutdown by January due to seasonal factors and weak order books. However, these curtailments offered limited price support, as ample inventories held by producers and traders kept the market well-supplied and prices stable. Meanwhile, in the coke market, pre-calcined low sulphur petroleum coke edged up by 1% over January on pre-CNY restocking and relatively firm ESS demand, whilst other grades remained broadly stable.

February brought a similar picture for the AAM market, with demand recovering after the holiday but prices remaining steady, as ample supply and strong buyer leverage continued to limit producer pricing power.

Feedstock conditions diverged over the period. Natural graphite feedstock prices remained broadly stable, whilst synthetic graphite feedstock costs rose, driven by post-CNY procurement, relatively low inventories, and elevated production costs.

In March, cost pressures had intensified, with low sulphur petroleum coke prices rising by 5%, prompting some synthetic graphite AAM producers to seek higher prices. Sentiment became more supportive of upward adjustments; however, downstream cell makers continued to hold the stronger negotiating position. As a result, most synthetic graphite AAM prices remained flat, with only medium-energy material recording a ~1% rise by month-end.

The natural graphite AAM segment remained more insulated, given its lower exposure to raw material cost volatility, with -100 mesh, 94–95% C DDP China rising by only ~2% during March. Despite this uptick, broader market conditions, characterised by oversupply and limited producer leverage, continued to keep anode prices broadly stable.

Overall, Q1 was defined by resilient ESS-linked demand and rising cost pressure, particularly in synthetic graphite, but structural overcapacity continued to cap upside, leaving both synthetic and natural graphite AAM prices broadly stable through the quarter.

This is the fifth in a series of articles looking at Q1 2026 critical mineral price trends. The rest of the series can be found below:

Volatile, yet robust: Lithium Q1 2026 Price Review

Production quotas control nickel price: Nickel Q1 2026 Price Review

Supply strains keep prices steady: Cobalt Q1 2026 Price Review

Tight supply and Chinese policy drive prices: Rare Earths Q1 2026 Price Review