BHP Billiton outlines plans to cut costs further

Sydney

BHP Billiton on Monday outlined plans to cut costs further as the world's biggest miner battles falling commodity prices, pointing to its planned demerger as helping to drive productivity gains.

The Anglo-Australian resources group is aiming to simplify and strengthen its business, and said it was looking to save US$4 billion a year in running costs - US$500 million more than previously flagged - by the end of the 2017 financial year.