BHP Billiton has reported an after-tax cash profit of $A6.5 billion for the six months to the end of December.
The result easily beat market expectations of a $A5.8 billion profit, but represents a fall of 7% compared to the same period a year earlier.
The world's biggest mining company says its earnings were hit by weaker iron ore and coal contract prices which were set last year, when demand slumped.
