LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Euro zone government bond

yields rose on Wednesday as markets digested stronger than

expected Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data from the bloc

that could reduce some pressure on the European Central Bank to

cut rates beyond June.

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

the euro zone, was up 2.3 basis points (bps) to 2.53%.

Italy's 10-year yield was 3.8 bps​ higher at

3.86%, and the gap between Italian and German bunds

widened 1.8 bps to 131.9.

The spread between U.S. 10-year Treasuries and German bunds

narrowed 0.4 bps to 209.

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

sensitive to ECB rate expectations, was 1.8 bps higher at 3.00%.