Jun. 26 -- The global lead market was in deficit by 63,000 metric tons in the first four months of 2012, the World Bureau of Metal Statistics said Wednesday.

This compares with a surplus of 4,400 tons over the whole of 2011.

The WBMS said global lead mine production was 1.668 million tons in January to April, which was 26% above the total recorded for the first four months of 2011. This jump in production was largely due to abnormally low Chinese output in January and February of last year, it said.

Global demand for refined lead was 136,000 lower than the year earlier period in the first four months of the year, the WBMS said, without citing a total production figure.

Chinese apparent consumption, it said, was 1.229 million tons in January to April, which was 244,000 tons below the comparable period in 2011.