Albemarle jumps after UBS upgrades to 'buy'

Shares of chemical producer Albemarle ALB.N rise 6.60% to $127.03

UBS upgrades shares of ALB to "buy" from "neutral," expecting lithium prices to rise as the market shifts into a supply deficit starting in the second half of 2026

Brokerage also raised PT to $185 from $107, which is a 55.3% upside from its last close

If U.S. designates lithium as strategic and sets a price floor, ALB could benefit via Kings Mountain resource and a two-tier pricing model, brokerage says

9 of 27 analysts rate the stock "buy" or "strong buy", 16 "hold", and 2 "sell" or "strong sell; median PT $110 - data compiled by LSEG

As of Thursday's close, ALB up 38.4% YTD