Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 10.0% quarter-to-quarter to MOP547 in the second quarter of 2011. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers (MOP562) dropped by 10.1%, while that of unskilled workers (MOP356) increased by 1.1%. Analyzed by occupations, average daily wage of electricians & electrical workers (MOP555) and structural iron erectors (MOP604) decreased by 24.5% and 11.0% respectively over the previous quarter; however, wages of plumbers (MOP616) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP609) increased by 3.5% and 2.7% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers was 90.6 in real terms in the second quarter of 2011, down by 7.1% quarter-to-quarter.

As regards construction materials, price increase of steel decelerated, with the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars rising slightly by 0.7% quarter-to-quarter to MOP5,821 per tonne; moreover, the average price of concrete increased by 8.4% to MOP348 per cubic metre.

In the second quarter of 2011, price index of construction materials for residential buildings rose by 0.4% quarter-to-quarter to 156.7; in particular, price indices of steel and concrete increased by 1.1% and 8.4% respectively, while indices of timber and electric wires decreased by 0.1% and 6.8%. Compared with the same quarter of 2010, price index of construction materials for residential buildings registered an increase of 13.3%.