The consumer price index (CPI) rose 4.2 per cent year-on-year, up from April’s 3.8 per cent figure, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics said.
It was the highest reading since April 2023, according to official data, but in line with analyst expectations.
The US-Israel war against Iran, launched in late February, has sent energy prices soaring after Tehran retaliated by virtually closing the vital Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil and gas normally passes.
US President Donald Trump has insisted that the price shock will be temporary and that a peace deal will be signed soon, but the soaring costs are a key issue for voters as they head to midterm elections in November.
