SYDNEY, March 19 (Reuters) - Australia's central bank held interest rates steady on Tuesday as expected, while watering down a tightening bias to just say that it was not ruling anything in or out on policy.

Wrapping up its latest policy meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept rates at a 12-year high of 4.35%, having last lifted them by a quarter point in November.

Markets had fully expected a steady outcome given inflation had slowed in recent months and consumer demand had cooled markedly. (Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)