Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers dropped by 2.1% quarter-on-quarter to MOP759 in the first quarter of 2024, due to a decrease in the employment of workers with relatively high daily wages during the completion phase of some large entertainment facilities. The average daily wages of local workers (MOP969) and non-resident construction workers (MOP684) went down by 1.5% and 1.3% respectively quarter-on-quarter.
In terms of main occupations, the average daily wages of structural iron erectors (MOP836), water/gas pipe installers (MOP774) and fire service mechanics (MOP812) fell by 4.8%, 4.1% and 2.6% respectively quarter-on-quarter, while the wages of air-conditioning mechanics (MOP952) and aluminium/glass installers (MOP844) rose by 4.5% and 1.9% respectively.
After discounting the effect of inflation, the real wage index of construction workers (92.3) in the first quarter went down by 2.0% quarter-on-quarter, with that of local construction workers (94.1) decreasing by 3.0%.
As regards construction materials, the average prices of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP5,504 per tonne) and concrete (MOP1,084 per cubic metre) in the first quarter decreased by 3.3% and 0.6% respectively quarter-on-quarter. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings went down by 0.5% quarter-on-quarter to 123.6 in the first quarter, with the price indices of sand, steel and concrete falling by 3.9%, 3.3% and 0.4% respectively.