The article considers various problems of securing reliability of macroeconomic indicators, which are discussed for decades on the pages of special literature and in various forums of statisticians. In this context the author gives a comparative analysis of different opinions on traditional formulas of indices used to obtain dynamic characteristics of economic performance and inflation processes. Their advantages and disadvantages are noted from the point of view of axiomatic and economic index theories. The article proposes a modern interpretation of the substitution concept within the frameworks set by the problems of the adequacy of statistical calculations under study. Its origins are associated with the work of a special commission set up in the US Congress at the end of the last century to analyze the methodology for calculating the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Considerable attention is paid to the implementation in the domestic practical statistics of a number of significant innovations in the interpretation of important economic transactions in the SNA 2008, primarily related to the content of the indicator «expenditures on research and development and other intellectual property products.» Disclosing the features of new approaches in the system of macroeconomic measurements, the author thereby initiates the development of statistical observation, transformation of reporting, reformatting of primary sources of statistical data.

Purchasing power parities (PPP) is a unique tool for macroeconomic analysis. The Global international comparison Program is arranged according to a regional principle. CIS countries form one of the regions. While linking the regional comparison (CIS ICP) results to the global ones, one should bear in mind that Russia participates in EU/OECD regional comparison as well. In the previous comparison cycles the issue of linking regional CIS and EU/OECD comparisons was resolved using the direct linear recalculation method, which ensures fixity of the results, but does not correspond to the common methodology of international comparisons. Within the most recent cycle of CIS ICP which was conducted using 2014 data (2014 CIS ICP), a qualitatively better method was elaborated and used to link regional results - a «partially-multilateral comparison» PMC method. This experience is described in the article.

Current study focuses on the analysis of the impact of the deposit insurance system on the functioning of national banking system. Literature review reflects the difference in the opinions of analytics about the character of this impact. Summarizing points of view one may conclude that in unstable periods deposit insurance system may strengthen the banking system and prevent customers run. At the same time, during periods of economic growth deposit insurance may lead to the additional moral hazard. This research focuses on the banking systems of the BRICS countries: Russia is part of it, and, according to some analysts, the BRICS countries have good prospects for development. However, this association, in the authors’ opinion, is rather artificial which is supported by the fact that development trajectories of its members as well as the achieved  results are very different. Nevertheless, there is a common element - intensive transitions leading to significant instability in the economy and the presence of serious social problems, in particular poverty, a strong stratification of society and corruption. First part of the article presents comparative analysis of deposit insurance systems in the BRICS countries. Its results demonstrate that the approaches to organization of deposit insurance among members of the association are somewhat different. For example, in South Africa, the deposit insurance system functions in an implicit manner (i.e., not legislated). In some countries it is privately owned (or has no state guarantees). The second part introduces mathematical and statistical analysis of the impact that deposit insurance system has on the level of risks that banks of BRICS take. Online availability and quality of data on the state of the banking systems and activities of deposit insurance systems allowed for a full-fledged analysis only for the Russian Federation and Brazil. As for the rest of member-countries, the authors performed brief analysis. The results of estimating models for panel data made it possible to conclude that the effect of increasing the amount of insurance cover on the level of risks depends significantly on the characteristics of the crisis situation (if any), the level of control of the banking environment by the regulator and the proportion of deposits in the balance currency that fall under the jurisdiction of the deposit insurance system.

The article presents economic and statistical analysis of the financial situation in economic entities of the Russian oil industry for a ten-year period. Factors affecting performance indicators of oil companies such as profitability of sales and labor productivity are quantitatively measured using actual performance data of the world’s largest oil companies. Dynamic characteristics of financial indicators of Russian oil companies are analyzed. Significant differences in the dynamics of these indicators in ruble and dollar terms are revealed. A correlation-regression analysis of the relationship between the sales profitability indicators and the oil price was carried out.

The authors performed international comparative analysis of wages of medical personnel. One of reasons for that was to understand if Russian trends in this area comply with global standards. Various methodological approaches served as a basis for obtaining comparative data describing level and dynamics of wages of medical personnel in Russia and in countries with the developed and transitional economies. The authors focused on the fact that while performing international comparisons of wages in healthcare system (not to mention when making contensive conclusions based on comparison results) one should take into account national specifics in labour remuneration mechanisms, specific categories of doctors and nurses, differences in the healthcare system and statistical observation in general. Using statistical information from several international organizations and the Rosstat the authors state that although there are certain similarities in the functions, Russian doctors earn considerably less than their foreign colleagues. However, it should be noted that work week in Russia is shorter than in many foreign countries. The article describes the tendency to widen the gap between wages of general practitioners and specialists. Wages of Russian nurses as well as doctors fall behind those of their colleagues from leading foreign countries. Nevertheless, while performing international comparative analysis it is important to keep in mind that attainment level of Russian medical personnel and the scope of medical services they perform are also lower.

The article studies emigration of Russian citizens abroad for permanent residence on the basis of analysis of the Russian statistical accounting data. The article draws special attention to the main modern trends of emigration processes, the structure of the outflow, and the directions of departure. The authors used domestic migration statistics as a basis for identifying regional patterns concerning emigration from Russia. The article also focuses on specifics as regards to adjustments that have impact on current account of emigration indicators, which must be taken into account when interpreting data in the dynamic characteristics of the demographic processes under consideration.

This article is devoted to the 250th anniversary of the birth of K.F. Herman (1767-1838) and covers his activities related to the organization of state statistics in Russia. He went down in history of the national statistics as the head of the first specialized public service - the Statistical Office of the Ministry of Police of the Russian Empire. After the merger of the Ministry of Police with the Ministry of the Interior, Karl German from 1819 to 1835 headed the Statistical Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire. The authors note an important role of K.F. Herman in the formation of the system of national state statistics and analyze his views on the organization of statistical activities in Russia.

The first International Statistical Congress was held in Brussels in 1853. The article explores the content of discussions at the congress (primarily concerning the formation of a system of state statistics) through a number of domestic and foreign historical studies, as well as documents of the Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA). The author examines the reason for the absence of the Russian delegation at the Brussels congress and notes that although Russian statisticians did not take part in the work of the congress, they thoroughly studied its materials and showed keen interest in its results. Much attention is paid to the issues discussed at the First International Statistical Congress especially concerning the status and structure of official statistics, as well as the impact of discussions on the formation of a future model of centralized statistics in Russia.