Macau (MNA) – The average daily wage of a construction workers in Macau decreased yet another 0.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2018 to MOP763, marking the fifth consecutive quarter decline, according to the latest data from the Statistics and Census Bureau (DSEC).
The drop was mainly due to the decrease of 1.7 per cent in the salary of non-resident workers (holders of a working permit), to MOP634, while the average daily wage of local construction workers, on the contrary, rose slightly by 0.9 per cent to MOP970 quarter-to-quarter.
In terms of professional occupation, the average daily wages of concrete formwork carpenters (MOP760), water and gas pipe installers (MOP870), air-conditioning mechanics (MOP852) and structural iron erectors (MOP793) decreased 7.1 per cent, 5.1 per cent, 4.8 per cent, and 3.4 per cent, respectively.
Only bricklayers and plasterers amongst the categories analysed by the DSEC saw their average daily salary increase 3.5 per cent to MOP704.
After discounting the effect of inflation, the wage index of construction workers (99.6) for the third quarter of 2018 decreased 1.4 per cent quarter-to-quarter in real terms, and that of local construction workers (96.9) fell 0.4 per cent.
In regard to construction materials, the average prices of concrete (MOP876 per cubic metre) and spiral and round reinforcing steel bars (MOP4,742 per tonne) increased some 7.6 per cent and 1.2 per cent, respectively, quarter-to-quarter.
The price index of construction materials for residential buildings during the period under review went up 1.9 per cent quarter-to-quarter to 108.6, with the price indices of aggregate, sand and concrete rising 29.2 per cent, 23.2 per cent and 7.3 per cent, respectively.
