Anglo-Australian miner BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) Tuesday said it saw "some signs of life" in China's economy but the country's outlook on trade remained unclear.

Chief Executive Marius Kloppers, in a presentation posted on the company's Web site, pointed to improving indicators from China's construction and real estate sectors, and rising purchasing indices, as evidence that China's economy may be recovering.

Kloppers also said the company's capital and exploration expenditures were forecast to fall below $10 billion in the company's 2010 fiscal year from more than $11 billion in 2009.

Company Web site: http://www.bhpbilliton.com

-By Jeffrey Sparshott, Dow Jones Newswires; +44 (0)207 842 9347; jeffrey.sparshott@dowjones.com