Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 0.5% quarter-on-quarter to MOP782 in the third quarter of 2023. The average daily wages of local workers (MOP988) and non-resident workers (MOP694) went down by 0.7% and 0.3% respectively.

In terms of main occupations, the average daily wages of structural iron erectors (MOP853), bricklayers & plasterers (MOP685) and electricians & electrical workers (MOP764) fell by 3.1%, 2.3% and 1.9% respectively quarter-on-quarter, while the wages of aluminium/glass installers (MOP859), plant operators (MOP875) and fire service mechanics (MOP868) rose by 2.4%, 1.9% and 0.9% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the real wage index of construction workers (95.2) in the third quarter went down by 0.7% quarter-on-quarter, with that of local construction workers (98.0) decreasing by 0.6%.

As regards construction materials, the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP5,687 per tonne) in the third quarter fell by 5.2% quarter-on-quarter, while that of concrete (MOP1,100 per cubic metre) edged up by 0.4%. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings nudged down by 0.7% quarter-on-quarter to 124.6, with the price indices of steel,  aggregate and sand dropping by 4.9%, 4.1% and 1.9% respectively.