PARIS: Euro zone bond yields edged up on Thursday after Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller advocated a higher-for-longer rate strategy ahead of inflation data which could affect the central banks’ policy path.

Waller said it was prudent to hold rates at the current restrictive levels for longer to help keep inflation on a sustainable trajectory toward 2%. France, Italy and the US will issue inflation figures on Friday, while German and euro area-wide data is due next week.

Some analysts argued that markets would need outsized surprises to shake confidence in the timing of the first ECB rate cut to be in June, while inflation figures could affect bets on further ECB rate cuts.