After gaining 5.0% in early trade today, Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares have given back those gains at time of writing.
In early afternoon on Tuesday, shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) lithium stock are trading for 10.0 cents apiece. That's right where they closed at on Monday.
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ASX All Ords lithium stock on a wild ride
Today's flat performance for Core Lithium shares is far from the norm.
As you may be aware, Core – like most every lithium miner around the globe – came under heavy selling pressure in November 2022 amid fast-falling lithium prices.
How heavy was that selling pressure?
Well, if you'd bought shares in the ASX lithium miner on 11 November 2022, and you sold the stock today, you'd be nursing losses of 94%.
Ouch!
Now, with the global lithium oversupply showing signs of easing recently, though still very much in play, lithium carbonate prices have leapt 19% since plumbing one-year plus lows on 24 June.
That in turn has seen Core Lithium shares surge by 28% since market close on 23 June.
And if MPC Markets' Jonathan Tacadena has it right, that could make today an opportune time to sell the stock (courtesy of The Bull).
Time to sell Core Lithium shares?
"The company owns the Finniss lithium operation in the Northern Territory," said Tacadena, who has a sell recommendation on Core Lithium shares.
"The operation was placed in care and maintenance in 2024 in response to a global lithium glut that led to a price plunge," he added.
Addressing the recently resurgent lithium price, Tacadena said:
Lithium prices and stocks have bounced, but it may be short term in a market that's still weak. If this lithium rally stalls, smaller stocks in the sector are generally among the first to be sold.
He noted, "CXO shares have fallen from $1.14 on January 9, 2023, to trade at 9.7 cents on July 31, 2025."
With shares up 3.1% since 31 July, Core Lithium has a current market cap of $214 million, which indeed makes it one of the smaller stocks in the lithium space.
Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), for example, has a market cap of $5.6 billion, despite its share price tumbling 39% over the past 12 months.
And rival lithium miner Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) has a market cap of $2.1 billion, with shares down a more modest 3% in a year.
