The total gross value of construction work by main contractors fell 5.8% in nominal terms in this year's first quarter over a year earlier, to $21.9 billion, the Census & Statistics Department says.

According to the preliminary results of the Quarterly Survey of Construction Output released today, the total gross value of construction work by main contractors also recorded a 6.9% year-on-year fall in real terms after discounting price changes.

Analysed by type of construction work, the gross value of construction work at private sector sites totalled $6.1 billion, down 9.9% in nominal terms and 10.4% in real terms from a year earlier. The decrease was mainly due to completion of work at some large residential building sites.

At public sector sites, the gross value of construction work shrank 31.5% in nominal terms from a year earlier, to $4.7 billion. It decreased 34.5% in real terms.

Gross value

The gross value of construction work performed by contractors at locations other than construction sites amounted to $11.1 billion, up 15.6% in nominal terms and 17.1% in real terms.

Construction work at locations other than construction sites includes minor new construction activities and renovation work at erected buildings and structures, as well as electrical and mechanical fitting work at locations other than construction sites.

Residential building projects accounted for the largest share in the gross value of construction work at construction sites, at $3.8 billion, representing a fall of 20.7% in nominal terms. This was followed by transport projects, with a gross value of $2.4 billion, representing a 17% decrease in nominal terms.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, the gross value of construction work by main contractors in the first quarter fell 1.3% in nominal terms and 1.5% in real terms over the fourth quarter of 2005.

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