In the OECD area, consumer prices rose by 2.2% in the year to May 2007, unchanged compared with the year to April 2007. On a monthly basis, the price level rose by 0.4% in May 2007 after 0.5% between March and April 2007.

Consumer prices for energy rose by 2.6% year-on-year in May, compared with 1.9% in April. Consumer prices for food were up by 3.4% year-on-year in May, compared with 3.6% in April. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose by 2.1% in the year to May, unchanged compared with April 2007.

In the euro area, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) was up by 1.9% in the year to May, unchanged compared with the year to April. Month-on-month, the HICP in the euro area rose by 0.2% between April and May after 0.6% between March and April 2007. Excluding food and energy, the year-on-year rise in the HICP in the euro area amounted to 1.9% in May, unchanged compared with April.
In the United States, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 2.7% over the twelve months to May, after a year-on-year rise by 2.6% in April.

In Japan, consumer prices remained stable year-on-year in May, unchanged compared with the year to April.

Over the twelve months to May, consumer prices rose by 2.5% in the United Kingdom, 2.2% in Canada, 1.9% in Germany, 1.5% in Italy and 1.1% in France.