* FTSE down 0.2 percent
* Miners wane after recent strength, China raises rates
* M&S buoyed by capture of Tesco's "rising star"
By David Brett
LONDON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Britain's top shares were lower on Tuesday, as weakness in mining stocks offset gains in integrated oils following results from BG Group.
By 1156 GMT the FTSE 100 was down 12.49 points, or 0.2 percent, at 6,038.54, coming off its highest close since Jan. 18 on Monday, after gains in four of the previous five trading days.
Miners were the main drag on London's blue-chip index as investors paused for breath on a sector that has gained more than 7 percent in February, fuelled by rising commodity prices.
Xstrata's shed 0.7 percent after full-year results., while Lonmin was the top faller, down 3.3 percent.
China surprised the market by announcing a rise in interest rates on Tuesday, its second in just over a month, intensifying its fight against stubbornly high inflation.
"We do have to remember that Chinese rates are still in real terms negative, and a slow monetary policy cycle will try and counteract the risks (from high commodity and property prices) we currently see," said Atif Latif, director of trading at Guardian Stockbrokers.
ENERGY BOOST
Energy stocks provided some support for the FTSE, although that was mainly down to BG Group, which gained 1 percent after it announced forecast-beating fourth-quarter profit.
Mid cap British oil explorer Premier Oil, however, shed 7.7 percent as it said it would abandon a well at its key Catcher field in the Central North Sea.
Small-cap oil explorers Nautical Petroleum and Encore Oil, which each have a 15 percent interest in the licence, fell more than 14 and 18 percent, respectively.
Elsewhere, high-street retailer Marks & Spencer rose 2.7 percent after poaching Tesco's Laura Wade-Gery to head its Internet business, a move described as a "real coup", by Seymour Pierce.
"Wade-Gery was seen as a rising star at Tesco and potentially a future candidate for CEO. So this is a real blow for Tesco and will heighten the debate over whether cracks are appearing in its UK business," Seymour Pierce said in a note.
Tesco fell 0.6 percent.
British retail sales bounced back in January, and house prices fell at a slower pace, surveys showed, suggesting the economy may have gathered some momentum following a shock contraction late last year.
On the second line, Beazley topped the UK FTSE 250 leader board, adding 4.4 percent after the Lloyd's of London insurer announced a sharp rise in profits.
Cleaning products maker McBride fell 7.2 percent after warning a second wave of commodity price increases and a deteriorating British grocery market would hit profits.