The Euro Area inflation rate is expected to edge up to 1.4 percent in January 2020 from 1.3 percent in the previous month, in line with market expectations, a preliminary estimate showed. It is the highest inflation rate since April, as prices should increase at a faster pace for food, alcohol & tobacco (2.2 percent vs 2.0 percent in December Current US Inflation Rates: 2009-2019. The annual inflation rate for the United States is 1.7% for the 12 months ended September 2019, the same increase as for the 12 months ending August, as published October 10, 2019 by the U.S. Labor Department. Over the last 12 months, the CPI-U increased 3.2 percent. (See chart 1 and table A.) The index for all items less food and energy advanced 3.7 percent over the year. Food prices increased 1.9 percent. Energy prices decreased 1.6 percent, largely the result of a decrease in the price of gasoline.