Wages of construction workers and prices of construction materials for the 1st quarter 2016

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 1.8% quarter-to-quarter to MOP779 in the first quarter of 2016, attributable to reduction in overtime for large-scale construction projects in Cotai compared with the previous quarter. The average daily wage of local construction workers (MOP990) dropped by 1.0%, while that of non-resident construction workers (MOP653) fell by 2.2%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP787, down by 1.4% quarter-to-quarter. The average daily wages of structural iron erectors (MOP863) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP850) decreased by 6.9% and 5.9% respectively, while the wages of painters (MOP819) and carpenters (MOP1,073) increased by 3.5% and 1.9%. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP392, down slightly by 0.3%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (100.7) for the first quarter of 2016 decreased by 2.1% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, while that of local construction workers (129.0) increased by 1.3%. As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete increased for nine consecutive quarters, rising by 2.9% quarter-to-quarter to MOP827 per cubic metre in the first quarter of 2016; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars decreased by 0.8% to MOP4,290 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (132.1) in the first quarter of 2016 rose slightly by 0.3%.