Tianqi Lithium's stock surged 5.01% intraday on Thursday, rebounding sharply from recent losses.

The rally is primarily driven by strong market consensus for the company's first-quarter results. Analysts project Q1 attributable net profit to range from RMB 22.0 to 25.5 billion, representing a staggering year-over-year increase of 2,063% to 2,352%. Key factors behind this expected earnings surge include an approximately 78% year-over-year jump in average lithium carbonate prices, growing lithium salt equity sales volume, and a significant investment income contribution from SQM.

Additional supportive factors include JPMorgan recently increasing its stake in Tianqi Lithium's H-shares. Furthermore, Morgan Stanley has cut its global lithium supply forecast, while HSBC expects lithium prices to remain firm near RMB 150,000 per tonne this year, supported by Zimbabwe export restrictions reducing global supply and robust energy storage demand driving lithium demand growth.