Why are Tianqi Lithium and Ganfeng Lithium urging improvements in third-party lithium data reporting?

Tianqi Lithium Corp. and Ganfeng Lithium Group Co. are calling for higher standards and greater methodological consistency from third-party data providers because a sudden inventory report from one such firm triggered a 14% slump in the most active lithium carbonate futures contracts over three days, disrupting companies’ production planning, long-term contract negotiations, and hedging strategies; as Ganfeng’s Vice President He Jiayan explained, leading supply-chain firms rarely disclose internal data due to compliance concerns, forcing data platforms to rely on models and routine communication—estimates that 'could deviate from market reality.'

What specific market impact did inconsistent third-party lithium data cause recently?

A jump in reported inventories from one third-party firm sparked heated industry debate and caused the most active lithium carbonate contract to slump by 14% over three days, severely affecting decision-making; although the contract rebounded slightly—rising ~1% in the prior session and falling only 0.7% the next Wednesday morning—the episode underscored how volatile and consequential such data-driven swings can be for operational and strategic planning across the lithium sector.