(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock

markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window)

June 11 (Reuters) - European shares steadied at the open

on Tuesday following losses in the previous session on political

uncertainty in France, while investor attention turned to the

Federal Reserve's monetary policy meeting.

The continent-wide STOXX 600 was up 0.07% at 522.52

as of 0726 GMT, led by a 0.5% gain in retail stocks.

France's CAC 40 benchmark index gained 0.2%,

rebounding from a more than 1% decline on Monday, as President

Emmanuel Macron called for a snap election following a heavy

trouncing of his allies in European Union parliamentary

elections.

Government bond yields across the board steadied after the

election sell-off.

The basic resources index led declines, down 1.3% as

global base metal prices took a hit on a weaker yuan.

Adding to the sector's losses, Rio Tinto fell 1.9%

after the mining giant said it would buy Mitsubishi Corp's ( MSBHF )

11.65% stake in Boyne Smelters (BSL) for an undisclosed

sum.

Focus will now be on the Fed's policy decision on Wednesday,

which will help markets gauge the timing of interest rate cuts

in the world's largest economy.

Meanwhile, European Central Bank policymaker Francois

Villeroy de Galhau said the central bank will bring inflation

back to its 2% target by next year, despite expected "noise" in

monthly data this year.