Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 1.5% quarter-to-quarter to MOP763 in the first quarter of 2019. The average daily wages of local construction workers (MOP1,016) and non-resident construction workers (MOP624) rose by 3.0% and 0.3% respectively.

In terms of occupation, the average daily wages of bricklayers & plasterers (MOP730), concrete formwork carpenters (MOP783) and air-conditioning mechanics (MOP853) increased by 8.0%, 3.4% and 2.5% respectively, and those of carpenters (MOP856) and painters (MOP728) saw respective growth of 1.5% and 1.4%. Meanwhile, the average daily wages of aluminium/glass installers (MOP783) and water/gas pipe installers (MOP849) decreased by 3.6% and 2.4% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (96.7) for the first quarter of 2019 held steady in real terms compared with the previous quarter, while that of local construction workers (97.6) dropped by 1.0%.

As regards construction materials, the average prices of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP5,104 per tonne) and concrete (MOP938 per cubic metre) in the first quarter of 2019 increased by 9.4% and 7.6% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings in the first quarter went up by 0.5% quarter-to-quarter to 109.3, with the price indices of aggregate, concrete and sand rising by 13.1%, 6.8% and 2.2% respectively.