CEE MARKETS-Forint near two-week low before Hungary rate meeting

PRAGUE, May 27 (Reuters) - The forint eased to a nearly two-week low on Tuesday before a meeting of Hungary's central bank, expected to hold interest rates unchanged for an eighth straight meeting as inflation risks outweigh growth worries.

Elsewhere Central European shares were mostly stronger, gaining with European peers as large U.S. tariffs on EU goods were delayed until July.

But currencies stayed on weaker footing, with the Czech crown EURCZK= down a touch at 24.900 per euro, hovering near an 11-month low hit last week.

The Polish zloty lacked momentum amid uncertainty before a run-off presidential vote on Sunday, which is pitting liberal Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski against nationalist Karol Nawrocki.

The zloty EURPLN= inched 0.1% down to 4.2475 per euro, while Romania's leu was steady at 5.0626 to the euro.

The Romanian currency had fallen sharply this month when a nationalist candidate gained a strong showing in the country's own presidential vote, raising fiscal concerns. While a centrist candidate won in the end, the leu has yet to regain its lost ground.

"The technical situation for the EUR/PLN exchange rate suggests that we may soon see a correction towards 4.27-4.30, which may be supported by uncertainty related to the second round of the presidential elections," Bank Millennium said.

In Hungary, eyes were on the central bank as well as European Union ministers meeting in Brussels to discuss Hungarian rule of law concerns.

The forint EURHUF= was 0.2% down at 404.40 per euro as analysts widely expected interest rates to stay at 6.50%, with rate-setters seeking to cut inflation with an economic recovery weaker than expected.

A Reuters poll's median projection is for the base rate to inch down to 6.25% by the end of 2025 as the bank keeps a hawkish bent in the face of market risks.

"There is no question that Hungarian inflation is the most stubborn in CE3 and, crucially, it is susceptible to re-accelerating via FX pass-through from a weakening forint," Commerzbank said, referring to the three biggest economies in the region.