Consumer prices in the OECD area rose by 0.6 % in the year to April 2009, compared with 0.9 % in the year to March. Month-on-month, prices rose by 0.2% in April after 0.3% in March 2009.

Consumer prices for energy were down by 13.3% in the year to April 2009, following a fall of 11.9% in March.

Consumer prices for food were up by 3.3% in the year to April compared with 4.5% in March. Excluding food and energy, consumer prices rose by 1.9% in the year to April 2009, compared with 1.8% in March 2009.

In the euro area, the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices (HICP) remained stable at 0.6% in the year to April, compared with the year-on-year value in March. Month-on-month, the HICP in the euro area remained at 0.4% in April, unchanged since February. Excluding food and energy, the year-on-year rise in the HICP in the euro area amounted to 1.8% in April, compared with 1.6% in March.

In the United States, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0.7% over the year to April 2009.

In Japan, consumer prices fell 0.1% year-on-year in April, compared with a decline of 0.3% in the year to March.

Over the year to April, consumer prices rose by 2.3% in the United Kingdom, 1.2% in Italy, 0.7 % in Germany, 0.4% in Canada and 0.1% in France.