Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that the average daily wage of construction workers increased by 2.2% quarter-to-quarter to MOP736 in the second quarter of 2020. The average daily wages of non-resident construction workers (MOP622) and local construction workers (MOP948) went up by 2.5% and 0.7% respectively.

In terms of occupation, the average daily wages of bricklayers & plasterers (MOP669), concrete formwork carpenters (MOP812) and water/gas pipe installers (MOP770) rose by 4.4%, 2.2% and 1.4% respectively, while the wages of air-conditioning mechanics (MOP705), structural iron erectors (MOP792) and electrician & electrical workers (MOP766) fell by 3.8%, 0.9% and 0.1% respectively.

After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (89.8) in the second quarter went up by 1.4% quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (91.0) recorded the same growth rate.

As regards construction materials, the average price of spiral & round reinforcing steel bars (MOP4,687 per tonne) in the second quarter decreased by 6.8% quarter-to-quarter, while that of concrete (MOP988 per cubic metre) inched down by 0.2%. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings fell by 1.0% quarter-to-quarter to 110.5, with the price indices of sand and steel dropping by 7.6% and 5.9% respectively; meanwhile, the price indices of timber and aggregate grew by 2.5% and 1.6% respectively.