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April 9 (Reuters) - European shares opened lower on

Tuesday, with investors stepping to the sidelines ahead of this

week's U.S. inflation data and a European Central Bank monetary

policy decision, while gains in British energy giant BP and

miners kept losses in check.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index was down 0.2%, as

of 0716 GMT, after notching its strongest session in more than

two weeks on Monday.

Traders kept away from big bets ahead of the key U.S. print

on Wednesday and the ECB's decision on Thursday that could

determine the outlook for interest rate cuts.

Among major movers, shares of BP rose 1% after the

company forecast its first-quarter oil and gas output as well as

low-emission energy to increase quarter-on-quarter.

Also limiting losses, the basic resources sector

climbed nearly 1%, as Shanghai copper prices traded at record

highs on optimism around positive factory data out of major

economies.

Shares of Atos dropped 2% in a volatile trade

after the struggling French IT consulting firm posted an update

on its financial restructuring plan.