Consumer prices in the OECD area rose by 1.3% in the year to January 2009, compared with 1.5% in the year to December. Month-on-month, prices were broadly stable in January, after declining 0.5% in December.

Consumer prices for energy were down by 9.6% in January 2009, following a fall of 8.9% in December.

Consumer prices for food were up by 5.4% in January compared with 6.0% in December. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose by 1.9% in the year to January 2009, compared with 2.0% in December 2008.

In the euro area, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) was up by 1.1% in the year to January, compared with 1.6% in the year to December. Month-on-month, the HICP in the euro area decreased by 0.8% in January, after declining 0.1% in December. Excluding food and energy, the year-on-year rise in the HICP in the euro area amounted to 1.6% in January, compared with 1.9% in December.

In the United States, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) remained stable over the year to January, compared with 0.1% in the year to December.

In Japan, consumer prices remained stable year-on-year in January, compared with 0.4 % in the year to December.

Over the year to January, consumer prices rose by 3.0% in the United Kingdom, 1.6% in Italy, 1.1% in Canada, 0.9% in Germany and 0.7% in France.