The aim of this article is to introduce a family of methods for reconciling the preliminary quarterly estimates of product and/or industry outputs with the corresponding annual outputs at given values of quarterly total outputs. Mathematical framework of the methods leans on generalized least squares principle, which is applied in linear vector space of output seasonal coefficients. The procedure for reconciling the quarterly and annual data on product and industry outputs is formulated as a separable programming problem with a quadratic objective function and linear constraints. The solution of this problem is obtained in analytical form. Separability of the reconciling problem allows introducing its «product» and «industry» reduced modifications. In particular, reduced modifications of the problem can serve as useful tools for balancing the incomplete sets of preliminary quarterly estimates of the product and industry outputs in order to bring them into conformity with the corresponding fragments of the annual output matrix. Simplicity of practical calculations and a very moderate need for computational resources are valid advantages of the proposed methods. In addition, the methods demonstrate a high degree of flexibility and adaptability in solving problems of reconciling the quarterly estimates of product and/or industry outputs with annual output data. High flexibility is provided by the dependence of the separable programming problem and its reduced modifications on the exogenous parameters that are allowed purposeful varying during calculation process.

This methodological document is a concise version of the recommendations developed for the CIS countries on the basis of international standards for agricultural statistics. It was performed  s a part of the international project for implementing the «Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics». There are some formulated proposals to improve methods for conducting sample surveys of agricultural activities of small business enterprises, peasant (farm) enterprises and private subsidiary farms. After a brief description of the organization of statistical observation of agricultural activities in the Commonwealth countries presented are the most fundamental provisions for issue in question in the international recommendations. To be specific, the attention is drawn to the sample survey principles set forth in the «Global Strategy to Improve Agricultural and Rural Statistics» and to the methodological framework for sample surveys contained in the «Handbook on Master Sampling Frames for Agricultural Statistics:
Frame Development, Sample Design and Estimation». The paper proposes using unified approaches to organizing sample survey of agriculture in the CIS region i.e. developing sample frame, using sampling procedure, minimum set of core data. Are identified organizational arrangements for the sample surveys of agricultural activities by selected types of economic entities. The article provides background information on applying agricultural sample survey data for general universe of separate categories of holdings and methods to estimate their representativeness.

Based on the data on inflows and outflows for the federal districts and types of settlements in the Russian Federation in 2000-2015 a statistical test of the hypothesis of the inertia of internal migration was carried out. The coefficients of autocorrelation were determined and autocorrelation dependence was found in 243 out of 256 time series, which made it possible to conclude that there is inertia in the internal migration of Russia. On the example of analysis of 28 time series of data on external migration to the countries of the European Union and 3 member states of the North American Free Trade Agreement for 2000-2015, the coefficients of autocorrelation were calculated and their statistical significance was estimated. It allowed to verify and confirm the potential applicability of the ARIMA method for short-term forecasting of international migration. The results of the selection of ARIMA models parameters for time series of internal migration indicators in Russia are summarized. Based on the retrospective forecasts of internal migration in Russia for the period 2013-2015, the forecasting errors using ARIMA models and the method of exponential smoothing are compared. It is concluded that ARIMA models provide more accuracy of short-term adaptive forecasts of internal migration in Russia in comparison with the method of exponential smoothing. Based on the calculation of confidence intervals for the mean, it has been demonstrated that the ARIMA models with the same accuracy predict inflows and outflows for two types of settlements (urban and rural). It was proved that ARIMA models can be used for short-term forecasting of internal migration of other states (on the example of data on the volumes of internal migration of the Republic of Belarus for 2000-2016).

In this article, based on generalized results of studies on the problems of balanced regional development and, in particular, the statistical measurement of its criteria, are proposed indicators for assessing the sustainable balanced development of the regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Using official statistics and the author’s proposals on the analysis methodology, qualitative assessments of economic development of regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan in 2005-2016 are presented [growth rates of the gross regional product (GRP), changes in its sectoral structure, contribution of industries to GRP]. The author comments on economic, social, financial and external economic factors that influence the sustainable and balanced development of the economy of the regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan over the period under review. The article identifies disproportions, problems of the regional economy; it includes author’s formulated proposals to ensure sustainable development of the regions.

One of the most keenly debated issues of the modern stage of functioning of electric power industry in Russia is the steady growth in electricity prices. Among its reasons is considered the obsolescence of fixed assets, the need for replacement and modernization of which requires regular, large-scale financial injections. The increase in electricity prices not only remains a mechanism for direct financing of the industry, but should also be a way to attract private investment. However, the analysis of statistical information in the work allows us to show that the increase in electricity prices does not affect the profitability of the industry at present. The observed steady growth of the gross profit of the industry is of an extensive nature, i. e. Is almost exclusively due to an increase in gross costs, and not due to changes in the economic efficiency of its work. In addition, it is shown that prices for finished products of the industry still lag behind the price index in industry, which can lead to direct losses of energy companies. Instead of increasing the relative economic efficiency of the industry and expanding its financing possibilities, there is a decrease in investment attractiveness, which provokes the outflow of private capital. In this connection, the paper suggests the inadequacy of the growth rates of electricity prices to ensure its financing. At the same time, it is pointed out that the accelerated growth of prices as a way to solve the problem of low investment attractiveness of the electric power industry exhausts itself in connection with the aggravation of the problem of social tension. The relatively low income of household consumers and the competitiveness of domestic industry, which is sensitive to the level of energy prices, make it impossible to maintain high rates of prices. In this regard, the author supports the view that increasing the efficiency of the electric power industry and its investment attractiveness without accelerating the growth of prices for its products is possible only by solving structural problems, introducing full-fledged competitive mechanisms, strengthening external control over financial flows in the industry.

One of the most keenly debated issues of the modern stage of functioning of electric power industry in Russia is the steady growth in electricity prices. Among its reasons is considered the obsolescence of fixed assets, the need for replacement and modernization of which requires regular, large-scale financial injections. The increase in electricity prices not only remains a mechanism for direct financing of the industry, but should also be a way to attract private investment. However, the analysis of statistical information in the work allows us to show that the increase in electricity prices does not affect the profitability of the industry at present. The observed steady growth of the gross profit of the industry is of an extensive nature, i.e. Is almost exclusively due to an increase in gross costs, and not due to changes in the economic efficiency of its work. In addition, it is shown that prices for finished products of the industry still lag behind the price index in industry, which can provoke direct losses of energy companies. Instead of increasing the relative economic efficiency of the industry and expanding its financing possibilities, there is a decrease in investment attractiveness, which provokes the outflow of private capital.

In this connection, the paper suggests the inadequacy of the growth rates of electricity prices to ensure its financing. At the same time, it is pointed out that the accelerated growth of prices as a way to solve the problem of low investment attractiveness of the electric power industry exhausts itself in connection with the aggravation of the problem of social tension. The relatively low income of household consumers and the competitiveness of domestic industry, which is sensitive to the level of energy prices, make it impossible to maintain high rates of prices. In this regard, the author supports the view that increasing the efficiency of the electric power industry and its investment attractiveness without accelerating the growth of prices for its products is possible only by solving structural problems, introducing full-fledged competitive mechanisms, strengthening external control over financial flows in the industry.

The aim of this article is to introduce a family of methods for reconciling the preliminary quarterly estimates of product and industry outputs with the corresponding annual outputs at given values of quarterly total outputs. Mathematical framework of the methods leans on generalized least squares principle, which is applied used in linear vector space of output seasonal coefficients. The reconciling procedure of quarterly and annual data on product and industry outputs is formulated as a separable programming problem with a quadratic objective function and linear constraints. The solution of this problem is obtained in analytical form. Separability of the reconciling problem allows introducing its "product" and "industry" reduced modifications. In particular, reduced modifications of the problem can serve as useful tools for balancing the incomplete sets of preliminary quarterly estimates of the product and industry outputs in order to bring them into conformity with the corresponding fragments of the annual output matrix.

Simplicity of practical calculations and a very moderate need for computational resources are valid advantages of the proposed methods. In addition, the methods demonstrate a high degree of flexibility and adaptability in solving problems of reconciling the quarterly estimates of product and/or industry outputs with annual output data. High flexibility is provided by the dependence of the separable programming problem and its reduced modifications on the exogenous parameters that are allowed purposeful varying during calculation process.