SAO PAULO (Reuters) -Approval of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's way of governing has dipped in the past month, a poll showed on Monday, falling below disapproval ratings for the first time in his current term.

The Genial/Quaest poll showed that 47% of those surveyed approved of Lula's performance as president, down from 52% in December and the lowest since he took office in January 2023. Disapproval rose to 49% from 47% last month.

The figures are bad news for the 79-year-old leftist leader as he reaches the midpoint of his third non-consecutive term, in which he took office in January 2023, eyeing a potential run for re-election next year.

Economic concerns have contributed to the results, Quaest said in a statement, noting that "assessment of the economy over the last 12 months remains negative ... while positive views have been declining since October."

The Quaest poll commissioned by brokerage Genial Investimentos surveyed 4,500 people eligible to vote in person from Jan. 23-26. The poll has an error margin of plus or minus 1 percentage point.