Wages of construction workers and prices of construction materials for the 3rd quarter 2014

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 2.3% quarter-to-quarter to MOP672 in the third quarter of 2014, and the average daily wage of local construction workers was MOP883, up by 7.0%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP677, up by 2.4% quarter-to-quarter. With an increase in demand for structural construction workers, the average daily wages of concrete formwork carpenters (MOP771), welders (MOP833) and plant operators (MOP927) increased by 9.5%, 9.2% and 7.3% respectively. As regards completion of buildings, the average daily wages of both air-conditioning mechanics (MOP635) and carpenters (MOP587) decreased by 11.3%. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP390, up slightly by 0.8%. After discounting the effect of inflation, wage index of construction workers (94.1) increased by 0.6% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, with the indices of concrete formwork carpenters and bricklayers & plasterers rising by 8.4% and 4.5%, but that of carpenters falling by 12.3%. Meanwhile, wage index of local construction workers (121.7) increased by 5.9% quarter-to-quarter in real terms. As regards construction materials, average price of concrete increased by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter, at MOP686 per cubic metre in the third quarter of 2014; average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars was MOP4,959 per tonne, down by 1.9%. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings (130.1) in the third quarter of 2014 increased by 0.9% quarter-to-quarter.