Construction worker wages drop 4.7% in Q3

The Statistics and Census Service reported a 4.7% quarter-on-quarter decline in the real wage index for construction workers in the third quarter of 2025, after adjusting for inflation. Painters and water and gas pipe installers experienced larger wage drops of 7.2% and 6.9%, respectively, while electricians’ wages remained unchanged. Prices for construction materials in residential buildings showed mixed trends. Aggregate and concrete prices fell by 1.3% and 1.1%, but electric wires and emulsion paint costs rose 4.0% and 1.2%. Overall, material prices remained broadly stable from the previous quarter.