LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields held

steady on Friday, after rising the previous day, as investors

waited for a potentially market-moving speech by U.S. Federal

Reserve Chair Jerome Powell.

Germany's 10-year bond yield, the benchmark for

the euro zone bloc, was little changed at 2.24%.

Markets will be listening closely to Powell for any hints

about how much the Fed might lower interest rates this year,

which could in turn influence other global central banks.

Italy's 10-year yield was lower by 0.7 basis

points (bps)​ at 3.61%, and the gap between Italian and German

yields narrowed 1.2 basis points to 136 bps.

Germany's two-year bond yield, which is sensitive

to European Central Bank rate expectations, was little changed

at 2.4%.