NEW The US economy is strong at the moment, and seems set to keep strengthening. This means the Fed will likely have to keep raising rates a fair clip to keep inflation in check, and therefore the dollar will keep rising. As the dollar goes up relative to the domestic currency, their debts therefore effectively grow and become more expensive to service.

I am sending you a mailing I have just received from a recently formed firm called Yourlottoservice UK Ltd offering free entries into the National Lottery. I would like you to clarify if it is a scam.

Switching to a new deal or a new provider will protect customers from higher bills. Since all of the major suppliers have revealed their price rises, it is a good time to compare offers without fear of jumping from frying pan to fire.

About one in six people are affected by this severe form of flying nerves, yet half of aerophobes still choose to fly, according to analysis from market research group YouGov. We have found that failing to inform an insurer about the condition in advance can mean a claim being denied if a holidaymaker then pulls out of a trip. Jamie Leyshon from Llantwit Fardre, South Wales is a self-confessed aerophobe and lost hundreds of pounds when he was forced to cancel a trip due to the condition.

The Italian stock market rose 1.5 per cent yesterday after the anti-establishment Five Star Movement and League parties agreed to form an administration. Bonds also rallied, sending yields sharply lower, as investors breathed a sigh of relief that the country is not heading for a new election - at least not yet.

Stuart Gillies ran Ramsay’s restaurant group until he left in January after more than 15 years with the company. Documents filed at Companies House show that Gillies, a former chef, is sole director of a new restaurant business called Alfa-Zero Limited. A trademark filing made by Gillies last month suggests his new venture could be called Wood & Wood.

Buy It Direct, one of Britain’s biggest private companies, declined to confirm the value of its offer, but it is understood to be a high six-figure sum. The firm is thought to be the leading bidder.

There are hidden clauses within some travel insurance policies that can catch you out, and leave you out of pocket, if you're not aware of them. This includes, being covered twice - such as if you have a travel insurance policy with your bank account and you've bought a separate one, going on a cruise without the right policy or drinking too much and then trying to make a claim.

Five-star cars are the darlings of motoring reviewers - and that rating is the ultimate prize for car companies. There is an assumption that you may need to pay top money to get a top-ranked car. But, not so. Here, we've brought together a selection of cars, all of which are five-star rated by What Car?, but all of which cost less than £20,000.

The number of privately rented homes in England fell by 46,000 last year, the largest reduction since 1988. Tax and regulatory changes mean it is now much more expensive to both buy and run buy-to-let properties than it was two years ago.

Trump's administration last night imposed new trade tariffs on steel and aluminium imports into the US on the EU, Canada and Mexico. Yet China is really at the heart of his anger at an 'unfair' market. Here we explain all the key issues and implications at stake.Canada, Mexico and the EU together exported around £17billion worth of steel and aluminium to the US in 2017, equating to nearly half of the total steel and aluminium imports last year.

Britain's funeral market is to be investigated by the Competition and Markets Authority amid rising costs for cremations and funerals. As part of its investigation, the CMA will examine whether consumers are able to access 'clear enough' pricing information and get a 'fair deal'. Since the CMA's announcement, shares in UK based Dignity , which is one of the biggest funeral providers in the country, have slumped by 14 per cent to 1,054.00p.

My husband died in 2001 at the age of 57. I received Widow's Benefit until 2007 when I started to receive state retirement pension. However, I have since been told that I may have been entitled to a portion of my late husband's pension which he would have received had he lived.

The modest monthly drop is the third fall in four months, with the average home now valued at £213,618, according to the latest index by Nationwide. The headline figure is actually a bit higher than April's £213,000, but Nationwide uses seasonal adjustments to calculate the monthly rise or fall.

The Kew Gardens 50p, minted in 2009, have long been sought after by collectors thanks to the rarity factor - a relatively small number of 210,000 coins were put into circulation. This is far smaller than a run of any other circulating coin.

Every month TV property star Sarah Beeny picks her bargain of the month, and this time it is a £325k house in the Cambridgeshire village of Milton. It has a large living area with room for a dining table and chairs, two double bedrooms, off-street parking and a private garden. The modern home is only 1.5 miles from the recently opened Cambridge North train station with direct services into London, making it ideal for commuters.

There's still only a slim chance that Italy would ever ditch the euro, but it has got greater after the events of the past week. There has been no shortage of warnings that Italy is struggling and people are increasingly unhappy, yet five years after populists first grabbed a big share of the vote Italians are even less convinced that the eurozone wants to help them.

Vicky and Steven Huddleston took out critical illness insurance to cover their mortgage in the event that one of them became ill. The couple have three children, Amelia, 15, Jude, 12, and Lena, ten, (pictured right) and wanted to be sure they would be able to pay their bills should either of them suddenly be unable to work. So, when Steven, 40, nearly died in January after his heart stopped for 20 minutes, they were grateful they'd had the foresight to prepare themselves.

My father has vascular dementia and has been in a home since March. Two months before this he took out a mobile phone contract as well as broadband and landline with EE. I told EE of his condition and that he was in a home. I was told that if I sent a doctor's letter no cancellation fee would apply. The letter cost me £35. My father was then sent a bill for £215.56, which was then refunded, and they then billed him for it again.

Read the first installment of Tony Hazell's new investing column, in which he shares his personal journey through the world of investment. Here he shares how a decision to sell shares at the worst time possible - owing to the need for a bigger kitchen - led him to plunge back into the world of investment.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee kept interest rates on hold at 0.5 per cent, in spite of forecasts of a 90 per cent chance of a rise just three weeks ago. Policymakers voted 7-2 for a hold, with the two members who called for a rise saying that they believed there were 'upside risks' for inflation.

Choosing the right DIY platform is crucial but a wealth of choice and changes to charges have left many investors scratching their heads. We pick some of the best. We also highlight why investing in an Isa makes sense, as it should protect your hopefully growing investments from tax forever.