* FTSE down 0.6 percent
* Miners weighed on by demand concerns, Australia floods
* Tobaccos fall as Citigroup cuts ratings
By David Brett
LONDON, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Commodity stocks dragged Britain's top share index lower on Friday, weighed on by macro economic factors and after investors' confidence in the global economic recovery was knocked by U.S. data in the previous session.
By 0911 GMT, the FTSE 100 was down 38.01 points, or 0.6 percent at 5,981.50, having closed down 0.4 percent on Thursday.
Disappointing retail and jobs data from the U.S. on Thursday dented confidence in recovery hopes ahead of key nonfarm payroll data from the world's biggest economy, due out later in the session.
However, London's blue chips are still up 1.4 percent after the first three trading sessions of 2011 following a 6.7 percent gain in December.
"What We are seeing in the last couple of days, after the strength of the performance on Tuesday (when the FTSE rose 1.9 percent), investors are looking to book profits, then come back and buy on the dips rather than riding any difficulties out,"
Miners continued their downbeat start to the new year. Having risen 27.7 percent in 2010 the sector has fallen 2.3 percent so far in 2011.
Traders said sector sentiment is being dented by concerns over how far the rally has come, worries over inflation in China and the recent floods in Queensland, Australia affecting demand.
"There is still the ongoing debate in terms of demand as to whether we are on the cusp of a new super cycle or whether we have over reached."
Sticking with commodity related stocks, oils were mainly lower, although BG Group bucked the sector trend, up 0.5 percent, aided by an upgrade by Deutsche Bank to "buy" from "hold".
Elsewhere, Imperial Tobacco and British American Tobacco were a significant weight on the FTSE 100, dropping 2.1 and 1.7 percent respectively, as Citigroup cut both firms to "hold" from "buy", in a review of the sector.
ANALYSTS TOAST SAB MILLER
SAB Miller was the top blue chip riser, gaining 1.3 percent on the back of an upgrade to "buy" from "neutral from Goldman Sachs.
SAB Miller had already found favour with Citigroup on Thursday, when the broker initiated coverage of the drinks firm with a "buy" rating.
Bullish broker sentiment also lifted cruise operator Carnival, sailing 0.8 percent higher as Nomura raised its target price for the firm.
Back on the downside, Chipmaker ARM Holding was the top faller, down 4.6 percent as investors took profits following the 14 percent gain since the start of 2011, ahead of its tie-up with Microsoft, with JP Morgan repeating its "underweight" stance, arguing the stock is overvalued.
Orthopaedic device maker Smith & Nephew shed 2.9 percent after as UBS cut its rating on the company to "neutral" from "buy". (Editing by Hans Peters)