Ceska spořitelna (Erste’s Czech unit) now plans to lower costs this year by CZK 2bln, not by the CZK 1bln announced last week. Several factors came together at the same time, he said. The development of the economy does not allow banks to grow this year, he said, and to maintain profitability they must lower their costs. Consumer confidence is low, companies have a low level of confidence in the future, and foreign demand is limited, he added. CS expects net interest income in the banking sector to fall by as much as 5% this year. /Neutral, savings from cost cutting will be offset by lower operating income this year