Wages of construction workers and prices of construction materials for the 3rd quarter 2016

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers decreased by 2.5% quarter-to-quarter to MOP768 in the third quarter of 2016, due to reduction in overtime following the completion of large-scale entertainment construction projects in Cotai. The average daily wage of local construction workers (MOP961) dropped by 2.1% quarter-to-quarter, while that of non-resident construction workers (MOP687) rose by 2.2%. The average daily wage of skilled & semi-skilled workers was MOP773, down by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter. Among them, the average daily wages of structural iron erectors (MOP790), painters (MOP719), bricklayers & plasterers (MOP651) and concrete formwork carpenters (MOP820) decreased by 12.0%, 10.8%, 10.6% and 7.8% respectively, while the wages of air-conditioning mechanics (MOP849) and carpenters (MOP1,142) increased by 3.2% and 2.9%. Meanwhile, the average daily wage of unskilled workers was MOP403, up by 2.5%. After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (100.0) for the third quarter of 2016 decreased by 3.0% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (125.1) dropped by 1.7%. As regards construction materials, the average price of concrete fell by 3.5% quarter-to-quarter to MOP797 per cubic metre in the third quarter of 2016; the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars edged down by 0.2% to MOP4,410 per tonne. Meanwhile, the price index of construction materials for residential buildings was 131.9 in the third quarter of 2016, down by 1.1% quarter-to-quarter.