Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 5.6% quarter-to-quarter to MOP587 in the fourth quarter of 2012, and that of local construction workers increased by 2.5% to MOP688.

The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers (MOP595) and unskilled workers (MOP376) rose by 5.9% and 3.3% quarter-to-quarter respectively. Analysed by occupation, that of bricklayers & plasterers (MOP571) and carpenters (MOP585) surged by 12.2% and 10.8% respectively, but that of concrete formwork carpenters (MOP595) fell slightly by 0.2%.

The annual average daily wages of construction workers in 2012 dropped by 2.1% year-on-year to MOP565, but that of local construction workers (MOP670) increased by 9.7%.

After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers was 90.2 in real terms in the fourth quarter of 2012, up by 4.0% quarter-to-quarter. Meanwhile, wage index of local construction workers increased by 1.1% to 101.2 in real terms, on account of rising wage indices of electricians & electrical workers and bricklayers & plasterers. For the whole year of 2012, the average wage index of construction workers (88.4) decreased by 6.9% year-on-year in real terms, but that of local construction workers (99.9) increased by 2.4%.

As regards construction materials, in the fourth quarter of 2012, the average price of concrete (MOP472 per cubic metre) increased by 8.0% quarter-to-quarter, but that of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP5,389 per tonne) decreased by 3.2%. For the whole year of 2012, the average price of concrete (MOP444 per cubic metre) rose by 20.0% year-on-year, but that of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP5,738 per tonne) was down by 3.5%.

The price index of construction materials for residential buildings was 120.1 in the fourth quarter of 2012, up by 1.0% quarter-to-quarter. For the whole year of 2012, the price index rose by 3.5% year-on-year to 120.1.