BofA is among the large lenders, including rival JPMorgan, that are weighing the potential for the U.S. Federal Reserve to cut interest rates this year. The move could crimp banks' income from interest payments, but could potentially spur economy activity and borrower demand. BofA's net interest income (NII) -- the difference between what it earns on loans and pays for deposits -- slid 3% to $14 billion in the quarter due to higher deposit costs and modest loan growth.