Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 2.7% quarter-to-quarter to MOP789 in the third quarter of 2021. The average daily wages of local workers (MOP973) and non-resident workers (MOP699) went up by 1.1% and 5.1% respectively.

In terms of main occupations, the average daily wages of aluminium/glass installers (MOP729), air-conditioning mechanics (MOP822) and fire service mechanics (MOP837) rose by 12.4%, 11.1% and 7.8% respectively quarter-to-quarter, while the wages of structural iron erectors (MOP833), carpenters (MOP764) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP847) fell by 2.8%, 1.7% and 1.6% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the real wage index of construction workers (96.9) in the third quarter of 2021 went up by 2.9% quarter-to-quarter, with that of local construction workers (94.4) increasing by 2.5%.

As regards construction materials, the average prices of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP6,606 per tonne) and concrete (MOP1,061 per cubic metre) in the third quarter of 2021 increased by 8.5% and 0.1% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings rose by 2.2% quarter-to-quarter to 122.3; the price indices of steel, emulsion paint and pipes grew by 7.5%, 6.6% and 4.5% respectively, whereas the price index of sand decreased by 1.8%.