US consumer prices were unchanged in November as a fall in energy prices offset rises in other other items, the Labor Department says.
The consumer price index for all items was flat in November after dipping 0.1 per cent in October, and the year-over-year gain was 1.2 per cent.
Excluding volatile energy and food prices, core CPI rose 0.2 per cent, and were 1.7 per cent above a year ago.
The energy price index dropped 1.0 per cent, led by fuel oil, down 1.6 per cent, and petrol, down 1.5 per cent.
The food price index rose 0.1 per cent in November, following the same increase in October.
"The year-ago trend in headline inflation remained at its slowest since the recession ended," said Arijit Dutta of Moody's Analytics.
The data came as the Federal Reserve begins a two-day monetary policy meeting on Tuesday.
The Federal Open Market Committee is considering whether the economy is strong enough to withstand a reduction in its massive $US85 billion ($A95.31 billion) a month bond-buying program.
Despite the stimulus, inflation remains well below the Fed's 2.0 per cent target.
