Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 6.1% quarter-to-quarter to MOP815 in the fourth quarter of 2016. The average daily wages of local construction workers (MOP1,041) and non-resident construction workers (MOP721) rose by 8.3% and 4.9% respectively quarter-to-quarter.

The average daily wages of some occupations increased due to the commencement of interior finishing works of hotels and large public housing projects and the near completion of the superstructure works of several private residential projects. The average daily wages of bricklayers & plasterers (MOP691), plumbers (MOP842), air-conditioning mechanics (MOP882) and carpenters (MOP1,184) increased by 6.1%, 4.6%, 3.9% and 3.7% respectively. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers went up by 6.0% quarter-to-quarter to MOP819, while that of unskilled workers rose by 1.2% to MOP408.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (103.8) for the fourth quarter of 2016 increased by 3.8% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (131.6) rose by 5.2%. For the whole year of 2016, the average wage index of construction workers (101.9) went up by 1.6% year-on-year in real terms, and that of local construction workers (128.2) grew by 2.3%.

As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete, after falling for two consecutive quarters, rose by 3.4% quarter-to-quarter to MOP824 per cubic metre in the fourth quarter of 2016; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars increased by 2.1% to MOP4,504 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings was 133.9 in the fourth quarter of 2016, up by 1.5% quarter-to-quarter; the average price index for 2016 edged up by 0.8% year-on-year to 132.8.