Lithium Fund Flat as Chile Miner Gains 1.37% | Lithium, Oct 23
Key Facts
- The lithium miners fund LIT was unchanged at US$60.68 on Friday after a 4.0% fall on Thursday.
- SQM, Chile’s lithium producer, rose 1.37% to US$57.14 in New York.
- Albemarle, the US producer with Chilean mines, gained 1.22% to US$93.67.
- SQM-B in Santiago rose 2.15% while Chile’s main index fell 0.31%.
- LIT tracks lithium miners and battery makers, so it is a proxy and not the metal’s price.
Today’s Focus
Lithium shares steadied on Friday, 23 October, after Thursday’s sharp fall. The fund LIT closed unchanged, while the two biggest Atacama producers gained.
SQM rose 1.37% and Albemarle 1.22%. Both mine lithium in Chile’s Atacama salt flat.
What matters today. Lithium producers bounced after a heavy fall, but the fund shows that the wider sector remains weak.
01 The session in one read
The fund LIT, which holds lithium miners and battery companies, closed at US$60.68, unchanged. It had fallen 4.0% on Thursday.
SQM, a Chilean producer, rose 1.37% to US$57.14 in New York and 2.15% in Santiago. Albemarle, based in the United States, rose 1.22% to US$93.67.
Chile’s main stock index fell 0.31% on Friday, so the lithium miners did better than the market.
The producers regained part of Thursday’s fall, but LIT’s flat close suggests that smaller miners and battery makers did not join. The lithium price itself is not part of our data feed, so the shares are the best proxy.
Without news on battery demand, the bounce is more likely a reaction to a heavy fall than a change of trend.
02 The board
The fund LIT closed at US$60.68, unchanged. SQM rose 1.37% to US$57.14 and Albemarle 1.22% to US$93.67.
In Santiago, SQM-B closed at CLP56,919 (about US$57.22 at 994.76 pesos per dollar), up 2.15%.
| Asset | Level | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Lithium miners fund (LIT) | US$60.68 | 0.00% |
| SQM (New York) | US$57.14 | +1.37% |
| Albemarle (ALB) | US$93.67 | +1.22% |
| SQM-B (Santiago) | CLP56,919 | +2.15% |
Source: RT close, 2026-10-23. Where a commodity has no spot feed, an exchange-traded tracker or leading producer is shown as a labelled proxy.
Live Market IntelligenceThe live market board
Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence
Latin America — Cross-Market Board
| Instrument | Last | Change | YoY | Prev. | High | Low | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IBOV | 205,082.56 | +0.47% | +21.85% | 204,120.12 | 168,310 | 167,142 | — |
| IPSA | 10,746.36 | -0.31% | — | 10,780.31 | 11,210 | 10,984 | 1,513,213,483 |
| IPC MEX | 69,678.08 | -0.30% | +12.17% | 69,889.73 | 66,121 | 65,405 | 108,886,187 |
| MERVAL | 3,017,221 | — | +30.51% | 3,022,485 | 3,042,365 | 2,991,150 | — |
| COLCAP | 2,540.10 | +0.46% | — | 9.04 | 9.05 | 9.02 | 4,133 |
| BVL PERÚ | 57,021.19 | +0.13% | — | — | — | — | — |
| USD/BRL | 5.16 | +0.01% | -5.13% | 5.16 | 5.18 | 5.14 | — |
| EUR/BRL | 5.95 | +1.01% | -5.83% | 5.89 | 5.98 | 5.94 | — |
| USD/MXN | 17.06 | -0.24% | -8.58% | 17.10 | 17.08 | 17.01 | — |
| USD/CLP | 913.98 | +0.04% | -5.67% | 913.65 | 915.11 | 906.68 | — |
| USD/COP | 3,140 | +0.03% | -22.04% | 3,139 | 3,141 | 3,105 | — |
| USD/PEN | 3.36 | -0.66% | -4.82% | 3.38 | 3.38 | 3.35 | — |
| USD/ARS | 1,493 | +0.10% | +12.96% | 1,491 | 1,494 | 1,480 | — |
| USD/UYU | 40.27 | +1.24% | +1.80% | 39.77 | 40.27 | 40.23 | — |
| USD/PYG | 5,939 | +1.68% | -19.54% | 5,841 | 5,939 | 5,925 | — |
| USD/BOB | 11.64 | -0.76% | +72.04% | 11.73 | 11.72 | 11.64 | — |
| USD/DOP | 58.34 | +1.25% | -3.44% | 57.62 | 58.34 | 58.04 | — |
| USD/CRC | 445.92 | +0.89% | -9.71% | 441.97 | 448.50 | 445.92 | — |
03 What moved it
No company-specific news in our verified sources explains Friday’s move. The bounce followed a week in which SQM fell from US$60.47 on 15 October to US$56.37 on Thursday.
The wider picture was mixed: the dollar index rose 0.14% and US yields rose to 5.00%, while US factory data were strong.
04 The Latin American read
Chile, Argentina and Bolivia hold much of the world’s lithium in salt flats known as the Lithium Triangle. SQM and Albemarle both operate in Chile’s Atacama.
The Chilean peso weakened 0.87% on Friday, which lowers the dollar cost of local operations for producers.
05 The names to watch
SQM is the Chilean company most exposed to lithium prices, and it trades both in Santiago and in New York.
Albemarle is its main US rival and also mines in Chile.
06 The outlook
The path of lithium shares depends on battery and electric-vehicle demand and on interest rates. A close in LIT above Thursday’s US$60.68 would confirm that selling has paused.
The weekly picture still points down: LIT is 4% below its 21 October close of US$63.20.
07 What to watch
- Battery demand: Orders from carmakers and battery makers.
- SQM: A close above US$57.14 would extend the bounce.
- The Fed: Its decision on 28 October at 18:00 UTC.
- Chile’s peso: A weaker peso eases costs for exporters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is LIT?
A US-listed fund that holds lithium miners and battery makers. It is a proxy for the sector, not the lithium price.
Why did SQM rise on Friday?
The shares recovered after a fall earlier in the week; we found no company news.
Where does SQM mine lithium?
In the Atacama salt flat in northern Chile.
What is the Lithium Triangle?
A region where Chile, Argentina and Bolivia hold much of the world’s lithium resources.
Market data: RT
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
In depth
LatAm Markets: Live Signals → — real-time movers, turnover leaders and FX across Latin America.