README – Dataset Supporting iPhD Thesis
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/D3785

This dataset contains the raw data files used in the iPhD thesis “Four Papers on Monetary Policy Uncertainty and Central Bank Communication.” The dataset includes the following three files:
1. speeches_full_text.csv
2. press_release_whole_text.csv
3. MPU_Volatility_Relationship.xlsx

Overview
This dataset brings together the raw textual materials used in the thesis. These files are provided in the format used during the research for transparency and reproducibility.

Description of Files

(1) speeches_full_text.csv
This file contains the full text of central bank speeches collected from multiple countries. It includes complete speech text and document metadata such as country and date when available. Only basic cleaning was performed (e.g., removal of HTML tags and formatting artefacts). The content represents raw text prepared for analysis in Chapter 5.

(2) press_release_whole_text.csv
This file contains the full text of central bank press releases. It includes complete press release text and metadata where available. Basic cleaning procedures were applied, consistent with the speech dataset. The file represents raw text used for communication analysis in Chapter 5.

(3) MPU_Volatility_Relationship.xlsx
This file contains the raw aligned dataset used in analysing the relationship between stock market volatility and monetary policy uncertainty. It includes the author-constructed MPU index and corresponding stock market volatility series, aligned by date. 

Methodological Notes

The MPU index was constructed externally using keyword-based filtering and aggregation, but the file included here contains only the resulting series, not underlying tweet content.

Volatility data were obtained from publicly accessible financial sources and aligned to the MPU time series.

Speeches and press releases were collected from central bank websites and cleaned uniformly. No labelling or machine learning outputs are included here.

These files represent the raw materials used in the thesis.

Access and Use

Users should be aware that the speech and press release files contain text sourced from central bank publications, which may be subject to copyright restrictions. Redistribution or reuse may require permission from the issuing institutions.

The numerical MPU–volatility file may be reused for academic research.

Users wishing to obtain original documents should consult the relevant central bank websites.

Citation
Maphane, Laone (2025). Dataset Supporting “Four Papers on Monetary Policy Uncertainty and Central Bank Communication.” University of Southampton Research Data Repository. 

Contact Information
For questions about this dataset:

Email: lm18g20@soton.ac.uk 

For repository access or technical support:
researchdata@soton.ac.uk