Wages of construction workers and prices of construction materials for the second quarter of 2015

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter to MOP704 in the second quarter of 2015, owing to an increase in low-wage workers engaging in infrastructure construction. The average daily wage of non-resident construction workers (MOP609) fell by 0.8% quarter-to-quarter, while that of local construction workers (MOP945) rose by 1.1%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP707, down by 3.3% quarter-to-quarter. Among the principal occupations, the average daily wages of bricklayers & plasterers (MOP664) and structural iron erectors (MOP927) decreased by 1.9% and 0.9% quarter-to-quarter. However, the average daily wages of electricians & electrical workers (MOP787) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP860) increased by 6.6% and 1.9% respectively. The average daily wage of fire service mechanic (MOP813) soared by 20.3% due to increase in demand. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP405, up by 3.1%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (98.2) decreased slightly by 0.2% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, while that of local construction workers (124.9) increased by 2.0%. As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete increased by 2.1% quarter-to-quarter, at MOP761 per cubic metre in the second quarter of 2015; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars decreased by 2.5% to MOP4,569 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (131.6) in the second quarter of 2015 edged up by 0.2% quarter-to-quarter.