Albemarle Stock Soars 50%: Lithium Squeeze or Structural Recovery?

Albemarle Corporation (NYSE:ALB) has rallied nearly 50% in just three months, including a 30% surge in the last month, in tandem with a sharp rebound in Chinese lithium spot and futures prices.

Is This Rally Sustainable? According to Bank of America, the surge is being partially fueled by a short squeeze, amplified by speculative momentum and improving sentiment around Chinese supply dynamics. But the bullish tone comes with caution.

“Our lithium supply-demand model still shows significant oversupply in 2024, which may challenge the sustainability of this rally,” the bank noted.

Despite the rally, Chinese lithium inventories remain near record highs, raising questions about whether this is a short-term reaction or the start of a long-term price floor.

Fundamentals vs Sentiment While pricing momentum may stall due to oversupply and bloated inventories, Bank of America maintains a Buy rating on ALB, viewing the lithium market as nearing its cyclical bottom.

Key drivers for Albemarle’s long-term bull case:

Electric vehicle adoption

Energy storage expansion

U.S. and EU policies backing critical minerals supply chains

To track lithium price movements and related asset behavior, explore:

Commodities API – Lithium futures, spot pricing

Key Metrics (TTM) API – Albemarle valuation & performance ratios

Bottom Line The recent run in Albemarle stock is less about structural market rebalancing and more about positioning, headlines, and hope. The lithium sector may still face turbulence ahead, but ALB remains a long-term play on energy transition — not just a trade on China.