BHP Billiton Group announced that the basic profit for the first half of the year was higher than expected, driven by the copper mining sector. The copper division's profit surpassed the iron ore division for the first time, accounting for more than half of the profits of the world's top miner. BHP Billiton's stock price surged 7% to a record high. Investors greatly appreciated that its dividend far exceeded expectations and its promising future dividend prospects. Demand for red metals surged due to the rapid increase in electricity consumption in artificial intelligence data centers and the shift to clean energy, which spurred mining giants to compete for high-quality copper assets, and the strong performance of the copper industry followed. BHP Billiton, the world's largest copper producer, emphasized its copper growth options and downgraded acquisition demand. Last year, it abandoned plans to acquire Anglo-American Resources Group. Basic attributable profit increased 22% in the first half of the year to reach $6.20 billion, surpassing Visible Alpha's $60.3 billion consensus. BHP Billiton announced an interim dividend of 73 cents per share, higher than market expectations of 63 cents, and a payout ratio of 60%. In the six months ending December 31, copper contributed US$7.95 billion to BHP Billiton's operating profit, higher than that of iron ore of US$7.50 billion, and accounting for 51% of the Group's total basic operating profit of US$15.46 billion. This was mainly due to a 32% spike in the actual price of copper, as well as a spike in the price of precious metals as a by-product. Iron ore production reached a record high in the first half of the year, while rising prices also boosted miners' profits.

BHP Billiton Group announced that the basic profit for the first half of the year was higher than expected, driven by the copper mining sector. The copper division's profit surpassed the iron ore division for the first time, accounting for more than half of the profits of the world's top miner. BHP Billiton's stock price surged 7% to a record high. Investors greatly appreciated that its dividend far exceeded expectations and its promising future dividend prospects. Demand for red metals surged due to the rapid increase in electricity consumption in artificial intelligence data centers and the shift to clean energy, which spurred mining giants to compete for high-quality copper assets, and the strong performance of the copper industry followed. BHP Billiton, the world's largest copper producer, emphasized its copper growth options and downgraded acquisition demand. Last year, it abandoned plans to acquire Anglo-American Resources Group. Basic attributable profit increased 22% in the first half of the year to reach $6.20 billion, surpassing Visible Alpha's $60.3 billion consensus. BHP Billiton announced an interim dividend of 73 cents per share, higher than market expectations of 63 cents, and a payout ratio of 60%. In the six months ending December 31, copper contributed US$7.95 billion to BHP Billiton's operating profit, higher than that of iron ore of US$7.50 billion, and accounting for 51% of the Group's total basic operating profit of US$15.46 billion. This was mainly due to a 32% spike in the actual price of copper, as well as a spike in the price of precious metals as a by-product. Iron ore production reached a record high in the first half of the year, while rising prices also boosted miners' profits.