Consumer prices in the OECD area rose by 2.3% in the year to November, compared with 3.7% in the year to October 2008. Month-on-month, prices fell 0.9% in November, after declining 0.3% in October.

Energy items account for most of the decrease in inflation. Consumer prices for energy fell by 2.4% in the year to November, compared with a rise of 12.4% in October.

Consumer prices for food were up by 6.2% in November compared with 6.5% in October. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose by 2.2% in the year to November, compared with 2.3% in October.

In the euro area, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) was up by 2.1% in the year to November, compared with 3.2% in the year to October. Month-on-month, the HICP in the euro area decreased by 0.5% in November, after remaining stable in October. Excluding food and energy, the year-on-year rise in the HICP in the euro area amounted to 1.9% in November, unchanged from October.

In the United States, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 1.1% over the year to November, compared with 3.7% in the year to October.

In Japan, consumer prices were up by 1.0% year-on-year in November, compared with 1.7 % in the year to October.

Over the year to November, consumer prices rose by 4.1% in the United Kingdom, 2.7% in Italy, 2.0% in Canada, 1.6% in France and 1.4% in Germany.