LONDON, March 15 (Reuters) - Euro zone government bond

yields rose on Friday, putting them on course for chunky gains

for the week, after two U.S. data reports showed inflation came

in stronger than expected earlier in the week.

** Germany's 10-year government bond yield, the euro

zone's benchmark, was up 1 basis point (bp) at 2.431%, on track

to rise 16 bps across the week.

** Italy's 10-year yield was 4 bps higher at 3.712%,

set to rise 13 bps for the week.

** The gap between Italian and German 10-year bond yields

widened to around 126 bps after falling to its lowest in well

over two years on Thursday at 115 bps.

** The economic calendar is light, with investors looking to

next week when the Bank of Japan, Federal Reserve and Bank of

England set interest rates.

** German 2-year bond yields, which are more

sensitive to interest rate expectations, were up 1 bp at 2.895%,

on track to rise 16 bps for the week.