Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the overall average daily wage of construction workers was MOP542 in the third quarter of 2008, down by 2.7% quarter-to-quarter. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers dropped by 3.6% to MOP557 and that of unskilled workers fell by 0.6% to MOP349. Plant operators (MOP662), structural iron erectors (MOP632) and concrete mould and slab carpenters (MOP598) were among the skilled & semi-skilled workers earning high average daily wages.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the overall real wage index of construction workers for the third quarter of 2008 was 95.4, down by 5.1% quarter-to-quarter; the real wage indices of skilled & semi-skilled workers and unskilled workers, both at 95.4, decreased by 5.5% and 2.6% respectively.

As regards the prices of construction materials for the third quarter of 2008, the average price of spiral and round reinforcing steel bars rose to MOP7,645 per tonne, up by 8.0% quarter-to- quarter; the average price of ordinary clear sheet glass increased by 1.4% to MOP81 per square metre, but that of clamping plate (plywood) declined by 2.0% to MOP64 per square metre.

The price index of construction materials for residential buildings continued to rise in the third quarter of 2008, up by 3.2% quarter-to-quarter to 157.4. Compared with the same quarter of 2007, the price index registered an increase of 28.5%, owing to a 66.7% surge in the price index of steel; besides, the price indices of timber and concrete went up by 10.2% and 6.6% respectively.