* FTSE 100 down 0.2 pct, BoE keeps interest rates at 0.5 pct
* Oils lower, Royal Dutch Shell down on earnings concerns
* Retailers wane after Tesco misses Christmas forecasts
By David Brett
LONDON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Energy stocks tugged Britain's top share index lower on Thursday, led by Royal Dutch Shell with traders citing talk of the oil major lowering its earnings outlook.
London's blue chips took a breather after hitting a 31-month closing high on Wednesday, as the Bank of England's (BoE) monetary policy committee opted to keep interest rates at record lows.
By 1216 GMT, the FTSE 100 was off 10.79 points, or 0.2 percent, at 6,039.93, after closing up 0.6 percent at 6,050.72 on Wednesday.
The BoE kept its key interest rate at a record low 0.5 percent, as expected, for the 22nd consecutive month on Thursday.
"Rates have to go up sooner rather than later," said David Jones, market strategist at IG Index.
"Forecasts for inflation suggest that it could get to 4 percent in the short-term. It's a difficult argument for any central bank, particularly the UK, to keep rates down at these level when inflation is where it is at."
The European Central Bank will make its interest rate announcement at 1245 GMT, although no change is anticipated.
Royal Dutch Shell led a weaker energy sector, down 1.0 percent with traders citing talk that the oil major was guiding analysts lower on its earnings outlook.
There is "vague speculation in the market that Shell are calling round talking down numbers," a trader in London said.
Miners were lower having gained almost 4 percent over the last two days.
Tesco was under pressure, down 2.3 percent after missing Christmas sales forecasts.
The world's third-biggest retailer set the tone for the sector as electricals specialist Dixons, general merchandise group Home Retail, computer games seller Game Group, bicycles chain Halfords, and fashion group New Look all reported falling revenues.
TOBACCOS DRAG
UK-listed cigarette maker stocks British American Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco fell 2.2 and 0.8 percent respectively, as BofA Merrill Lynch downgraded both to "neutral" from "buy".
On the upside, IMI topped the FTSE 100 leaderboard, gaining 4.6 percent, after the same broker upgraded its rating on the stock to "buy" from "neutral". UK banks were in positive territory as Spain and Italy successfully sold a combined 9 billion euros ($11.83 billion) of debt, underpinned by hopes that policymakers may soon shore up the region's fiscal defences.
On the macro economic front, British industrial output grew at its slowest annual pace in four months in November, dragged down by weakness in the oil and gas sector, despite strength in manufacturing.
In the U.S., Wall Street pointed to a weaker start on Thursday ahead of jobs figures due at 1330 GMT, and producer prices and PPI inflation data later in the session, which will be watched for the economic outlook and monetary policy prospects in the world's largest economy. ($1=.7610 Euro) (Editing by Sharon Lindores)