Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased further by 4.1% quarter-to-quarter to MOP798 in the fourth quarter of 2017, due to a weakened demand for construction workers following the completion of several large-scale entertainment facilities and residential projects. The average daily wages of local (MOP1,017) and non-resident construction workers (MOP675) fell by 3.3% and 5.6% respectively quarter-to-quarter.
The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers (MOP799) went down by 4.2% quarter-to-quarter, with a large fall of 10.3% in the wage of carpenters (MOP973); the wages of fire service mechanics (MOP872) and bricklayers & plasterers (MOP735) both decreased by 5.0%, while those of electricians & electrical workers (MOP808) and plumbers (MOP856) rose by 3.1% and 1.9% respectively. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers (MOP432) grew by 1.6%.
After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (102.8) for the fourth quarter of 2017 decreased by 4.6% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (125.7) went down by 3.2%. For the whole year of 2017, the average wage index of construction workers (107.8) went up by 5.8% year-on-year in real terms despite the decline in the third and fourth quarters, and that of local construction workers (131.5) grew by 2.6%.
As regards construction materials, the average prices of concrete (MOP841 per cubic metre) and spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP4,637 per tonne) increased by 5.5% and 3.1% respectively quarter-to-quarter in the fourth quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings in the fourth quarter rose by 2.6% quarter-to-quarter to 138.9, and that for 2017 grew by 1.8% year-on-year to 135.2.