Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter to MOP768 in the second quarter of 2021. The average daily wages of local workers (MOP963) and non-resident workers (MOP665) went up by 1.0% and 6.3% respectively.

In terms of main occupations, the average daily wages of fire service mechanics (MOP776), bricklayers & plasterers (MOP749) and water/gas pipe installers (MOP783) rose by 6.1%, 5.1% and 4.5% respectively quarter-to-quarter, while the wage of aluminium/glass installers (MOP648) fell by 6.1%.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the real wage index of construction workers (94.2) in the second quarter of 2021 went up by 2.6% quarter-to-quarter, with that of local construction workers (92.1) increasing by 1.9%.

As regards construction materials, the average prices of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP6,088 per tonne) and concrete (MOP1,060 per cubic metre) in the second quarter of 2021 increased by 9.5% and 3.6% respectively quarter-to-quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings rose by 3.9% quarter-to-quarter to 119.7; the price indices of electric wires, steel and pipes grew by 18.0%, 11.1% and 6.6% respectively, whereas the price index of cement inched down by 0.2%.