Britain's FTSE touches 12-month low as global growth concerns gnaw

* FTSE 100 drops 0.4 percent, finds support around 6,400

* Index hits lowest since October 2013, tracking NY falls

* Commodity-related stocks take most points off index

By Alistair Smout

EDINBURGH, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index dropped to its lowest level for 12 months on Friday, tracking U.S. stocks lower as concerns over the outlook for global growth ripple persistently through stock markets around the world.

Cyclical sectors such as mining and energy, which are relatively sensitive to economic optismism, took the most points off the FTSE 100 as commodity prices fell, with the price of Brent crude oil at its lowest since 2010.

The FTSE was down 0.4 percent, or 25.80 points, to 6,406.05 by 0756 GMT, extending losses from Thursday's lowest close in 12 months. The index also dropped below its intraday low for 2014 at 6,416.72, set on Feb. 2, in early deals on Friday.

Data had shown a plunge in German exports on Thursday, the latest in a slew of weak data which has prompted the IMF downgrade to global growth forecasts on Tuesday, helping set the tone for losses in Europe and on Wall Street.

"There have been questions over the strength of the German economy for a long time, so this data makes for a convenient excuse to sell the FTSE. There is a bit of a herd mentality at the moment," Trustnet Direct market analyst, Tony Cross, said.

"However, I think we need to wait for the definitive GDP figures to see how German growth is holding up," he said.

While the S&P 500 saw its largest decline in six months on Thursday, the FTSE proved more resilient on Friday.

After dropping to a low of 6,377.89, it regained the psychologically significant 6,400 level, and traders said that after Thursday's 0.8 percent drop, the falls were overdone.

Trustnet's Cross said that it a close below 6,300 would be cause for real concern, but that markets were more likely to stabilise in the short term.

Sanlam Securities head of execution trading, Mark Ward, said that his firm were "buyers at these levels".

"The markets are now starting to hit the bottom ... we might still see the FTSE 50 to 60 points lower, but it does feel like it is now the time to start picking up some cheap stocks," he said.

Bucking the trend was heavyweight consumer staples stock Unilever (NYSE: UL - news) , which edged up 0.6 percent after Citigroup lifted its target price on the stock. (Editing by Louise Ireland)