PARIS: Annual inflation slowed to 1.9 percent in November in industrialized countries, a drop of 0.3 percent from the level in the year to October, thanks to moderating oil prices, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).

“This easing in the annual rate of inflation mainly reflected slower growth in energy prices, which increased by 2.9 percent in November, down from 5.4 percent in October,” said the OECD in a statement.

Food price inflation rose modestly in November to 2.2 percent from 2.1 percent in October.

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, annual inflation in the 34 OECD countries was unchanged for the fourth consecutive month, at 1.6 percent in November 2012.

Slowing inflation should give central banks additional latitude to continue or increase their measures to stimulate economies, with the European Central Bank and Bank of England to take rate decisions on Thursday.

Annual inflation in the eurozone slowed to 2.2 percent in November from 2.5 percent in October.

It slid to 1.8 percent in the United States from 2.2 percent, and was stable in Britain at 2.7 percent. The drop in consumer prices in Japan moderated to 0.2 percent in November from 0.4 percent in October.

Outside the OECD area, annual inflation slid to 9.5 percent in India in November from 9.6 percent in October.

It ticked up to 5.5 percent in Brazil from 5.4 percent, and rose to 2 percent in China from 1.7 percent the previous month.