Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 2.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP793 in the fourth quarter of 2015. The average daily wage of local construction workers (MOP1,000) rose by 2.0% quarter-to-quarter, while that of non-resident construction workers (MOP668) went up by 1.1%.

The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP798, up by 2.8% quarter-to-quarter. With an increase in demand for workers to carry out interior finishing works of large-scale hotels in Cotai, the average daily wages of carpenters (MOP1,053), bricklayers and plasterers (MOP765) and electricians & electrical workers (MOP838) increased by 13.1%, 10.9% and 2.4% quarter-to-quarter respectively. However, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP393, down by 1.3%.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (102.9) for the fourth quarter of 2015 increased by 1.0% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, while that of local construction workers (127.3) rose by 0.7%. For the whole year of 2015, the average wage index of construction workers (100.3) increased by 6.6% year-on-year in real terms, and that of local construction workers (125.3) rose by 5.3%.

As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete increased by 2.6% quarter-to-quarter, at MOP804 per cubic metre in the fourth quarter of 2015; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars decreased by 4.6% to MOP4,324 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (131.7) in the fourth quarter of 2015 dropped slightly by 0.4% quarter-to-quarter; the average price index for 2015 (131.7) rose by 2.1% year-on-year.