The comments caught the bond market off guard in a relatively thin market and in a week where corporate bond supply is expected to dominate sentiment, analysts said.

German 10-year bond yields rose to 0.60 percent, its highest levels since April 26 and were up 4 basis points on the day.

Two-year yields were up 2 basis points.

The Bank of France governor said that whether the decision to end the European Central Bank's net asset purchases came at its September or December meeting was "not a deep existential question".