Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 4.1% quarter-to-quarter to MOP657 in the second quarter of 2014, and the average daily wage of local construction workers was MOP825, up by 4.4%.

The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP661, up by 3.3% quarter-to-quarter, of which truck drivers (MOP943), plant operators (MOP864) and structural iron erectors (MOP800) had the highest daily wages, up by 9.4%, 0.3% and 6.2% respectively, while that of iron workers decreased by 10.7%. The average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP387, up by 2.7%.

After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers (93.5) increased by 3.1% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, with the indices of concreters & drainlayers and concrete formwork carpenters rising by 16.7% and 8.7%, but that of iron workers falling by 12.0%. Meanwhile, wage index of local construction workers (114.9) increased by 4.4% quarter-to-quarter in real terms.

As regards construction materials, average price of concrete increased by 7.8% quarter-to-quarter, at MOP663 per cubic metre in the second quarter of 2014; average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars was MOP5,056 per tonne, down by 1.3%. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (128.9) in the second quarter of 2014 increased by 1.3% quarter-to-quarter.