IT’S officially the Year of the Wooden Snake. It began Wednesday, January 29, and will last till February 17, 2026, after which we’ll slide into the Year of the Fire Horse, whom we last met in 1966.

John Exter was an American economist, central banker, and financial consultant “known for his significant contributions to monetary theory aånd policy”. Interestingly, in 1948 he served as adviser to ...