Euro zone yields edge down in week packed with central bank meetings

** Money markets priced in 85 bps of ECB rate cuts by year-end. ** The gap between Italian and German 10-year bond yields widened to around 123 bps after falling to its lowest in over two years on Thursday at 115.40 bps. ** German 2-year bond yields, which are more sensitive to rate expectations, were down one bp at 2.9%.

Euro zone government bond yields edged down on Monday after jumping last week as markets scaled back bets on future European Central Bank rate cuts on the back of strong U.S. economic data. ** Investors will focus on the Bank of Japan, Federal Reserve and Bank of England policy meetings due later this week.

** Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the euro zone's benchmark, was down 0.5 basis points (bps) at 2.43%. ** Money markets priced in 85 bps of ECB rate cuts by year-end.

** The gap between Italian and German 10-year bond yields widened to around 123 bps after falling to its lowest in over two years on Thursday at 115.40 bps. ** German 2-year bond yields, which are more sensitive to rate expectations, were down one bp at 2.9%.