*JKSB Opening Bell – News Snippets* 🔔 *10.02.2025* *President kicks off digital transformation to elevate SL* “Initiatives include the establishment of the ‘GovPay’ Government digital payment platform, the expansion of the President’s Fund services to the Divisional Secretariat level, and the introduction of the eBMD system for obtaining birth, marriage, and death certificates through embassies.” https://www.ft.lk/top-story/President-kicks-off-digital-transformation-to-elevate-SL/26-772839 *Sri Lanka forex reserves down for three months by Jan 2025 after money printing warnings* “Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange reserves fell marginally to 6,065 million dollars in January 2025, falling for the three months in a row, official data showed, after warnings of money printing in October.” https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-forex-reserves-down-for-three-months-by-jan-2025-after-money-printing-warnings-204128/ *Sri Lanka remittances up 17.5-pct to $573mn in Jan 2025* “Sri Lanka’s remittances coming from its overseas expatriate workers gained 17.5 percent to $573 million in January 2025 compared to the same month last year, helped by more expatriates using the official banking channels.” https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-remittances-up-17-5-pct-to-573mn-in-jan-2025-204237/ *SL Budget 2025 aims for equitable economic distribution* “The Government will present its maiden budget 2025 in Parliament on February 17 ensuring equitable economic distribution, extending urban benefits to grassroots levels, strengthening public transportation, optimise decentralised funds, and improve welfare distribution mechanisms to support deserving communities effectively, state officials said.” https://www.sundaytimes.lk/250209/business-times/sl-budget-2025-aims-for-equitable-economic-distribution-586782.html *CSE urges CBSL to ease forex restrictions on MCB listings* “The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has requested the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to consider relaxing the current restrictions imposed on the repatriation of foreign currency-denominated funds raised by listing shares on the Multi-Currency Board (MCB).” https://www.themorning.lk/articles/lnmQmzJA609sXDySMnJz *Sri Lanka records monthly BOP deficit in December 2024: analysis* “Sri Lanka has recorded a balance of payment deficit in December 2025, for the first month of the year, after running consistent surpluses in the previous month of the year, official data show.” https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-records-monthly-bop-deficit-in-december-2024-analysis-204301/ *Sri Lanka central bank mops up Rs900bn in deflationary operations in 2024* “Sri Lanka’s central bank has mopped up 900 billion rupees of liquidity in 2024, operating broadly deflationary policy, building foreign reserves and providing below 2 percent inflation for people to re-build their lives, official data shows.” https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-central-bank-mops-up-rs900bn-in-deflationary-operations-in-2024-204459/