US consumer inflation slowed unexpectedly in November, delayed government data showed on Thursday, although levels remained higher than earlier in the year before US President Donald Trump's tariffs flowed through the economy.

The consumer price index (CPI) climbed 2.7 percent from a year ago in November, the Department of Labour said, notably below analysts' predictions of a 3.1 percent uptick.

The latest figure was also down from the 3.0 percent rise in September, the most recent month for which fuller data was available due to a lengthy government shutdown.

Inflation has ticked up this year as Trump slapped new tariffs on goods from US trading partners, causing many firms to flag a hike in business costs.

But the impact on consumers has been more muted, as companies rushed to stock up on inventory before steeper import prices kicked in. Many opted not to fully pass on the cost increases.

US households, however, are still feeling the pinch from elevated costs overall.

Excluding the volatile food and energy sectors, "core" CPI was up 2.6 percent from a year ago.

There were few month-on-month comparisons in Thursday's report as the government shutdown from October to mid-November hampered the collection of October data. (AFP)