Analysts believe Germany's budget crisis will mean tougher fiscal policy in the largest euro zone economy in 2024, which could add to pressure on less wealthy members of the bloc to keep a tighter grip on their finances. Italian 10-year bonds currently yield around 173 basis points more than German debt , 38 bps less than a year ago, while the gap between Portuguese and German yields has narrowed by 34 basis points. French bonds meanwhile yield 58 bps more than German, 5 bps more than a year ago. Analysts argued the German public may be unwilling to accept a tightening of domestic fiscal policy without a blanket approach across Europe - meaning a tougher scenario for the periphery. Bondholders are meanwhile banking on the European Central Bank cutting interest rates in a few months, which should support euro zone peripheral debt.

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Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Olaf Scholz, Fabrizio Bensch, Ruben Segura, BofA's Segura, Cayuela, Felix Hubner, Massimiliano Maxia, Stefano Rebaudo, Catherine Evans Organizations: Italian, REUTERS, Germany, Union, Northern, European Commission, UBS, Analysts, European Central Bank, JPMorgan, ECB, Allianz Global Investors, bps, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Italy, Cayuela, European, Greece, Spain, Europe