Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers in the first quarter of 2018 decreased by 1.6% quarter-to-quarter to MOP785, marking the third consecutive quarter of decline. The average daily wage of local construction workers (MOP971) dropped by 4.5% quarter-to-quarter, while that of non-resident construction workers (MOP676) rose slightly by 0.1%.

In terms of occupation, the average daily wages of concrete formwork carpenters (MOP818), carpenters (MOP896), structural iron erectors (MOP856) and bricklayers & plasterers (MOP719) decreased by 12.4%, 7.9%, 5.8% and 2.2% respectively; meanwhile, the average daily wages of electricians & electrical workers (MOP870) and plumbers (MOP881) increased by 7.7% and 2.9% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (100.3) for the first quarter of 2018 decreased by 2.4% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (121.2) went down by 3.6%.

As regards construction materials, the average prices of concrete (MOP829 per cubic metre) and spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP4,627 per tonne) decreased by 1.4% and 0.2% respectively quarter-to-quarter in the first quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings in the first quarter edged down by 0.3% quarter-to-quarter to 138.5.