readtable does not import headers properly while reading csv file

Dear all,

I have a problem with readtable. I have a simple data file that contains a first column of dates (without header), and subsequent columns that are numeric (all with a header).

In Excel format, the file seems to be imported properly: the first column is given a default header Var1, and the header is read properly for the other columns. Strangely though, it is read as cell array of chars.

Exactly the same file converted to csv is not read correctly. Readtable now treats the first row as numeric with NaN entries, and thus creates default headers only (image 2).

I have tried a couple of strategies to solve that such as using options ('NumHeaderLines',0) or ('ReadVariableNames',true), but it did not work.

So I have 3 questions:

1. how can I solve this and have the headers read properly, even in csv format?

2. Excel file yields cell arrays, while csv yields regular numeric arrays. How comes?

3. Is there a way I can obtain what I consider a reasonable outcome, that is: a table with first column as chars or dates, other columns as numeric, and headers properly imported? Ideally in a generic way, without too much customization, as I expect readtable should just do that regularly.

I am using Matlab 2024a, '24.1.0.2537033 (R2024a)'

Thank you very much.

Answer 1

[Paul]

dbtype data.csv

1     ,ffrate,inf,gap,proxy_1,proxy_2
2     1955-03-31,1.35,-0.519866320089122,2.11233683650112,0.252,-0.476
3     1955-06-30,1.64,-0.85374907201188,3.1059483135487,-0.942,1.259
4     1955-09-30,2.18,0.14919806042522502,3.8394129823774703,-0.853,0.631
5     1955-12-31,2.48,0.37355248412402503,3.7837595642113198,0.098,-0.298
6     1956-03-31,2.5,0.37327360955581,2.7021286936581403,-0.020,-0.139
7     1956-06-30,2.71,1.64732309996255,2.88187688395486,0.066,-0.588
8     1956-09-30,2.95,1.86219739292365,2.0977709212581996,0.252,-0.476
9     1956-12-31,2.94,2.82843319687383,3.04682807495794,-0.942,1.259
10    1957-03-31,2.96,3.60728895500185,2.9195384494912404,-0.853,0.631
11    1957-06-30,3.0,3.53591160220995,1.8703852193939399,0.098,-0.298
12    1957-09-30,3.47,3.54661791590493,2.01233545187303,-0.020,-0.139
13    1957-12-31,2.98,3.04017372421281,0.0837701659772756,0.066,-0.588
14    1958-03-31,1.2,3.62526920315866,-3.3579288169422,0.250,1.022
15    1958-06-30,0.93,2.84596229099965,-3.59013433260626,-0.686,-0.210
16    1958-09-30,1.76,2.0833333333333304,-2.2449557729696603,-0.047,-0.730
17    1958-12-31,2.42,1.75623463294696,-0.8935104167524621,-0.287,-0.559
18    1959-03-31,2.8,0.34638032559749893,0.0602623520851725,0.240,-1.068
19    1959-06-30,3.39,0.6918021445866459,1.33327897369632,-0.170,-0.104
20    1959-09-30,3.76,1.1760636457973,0.38571520026845396,0.924,0.282
21    1959-12-31,3.99,1.51881256472213,-0.336310151971574,0.805,0.154
22    1960-03-31,3.84,1.51881256472213,0.8673134897353241,-0.553,0.060
23    1960-06-30,3.32,1.7176228100309199,-0.677819145812045,0.740,0.358
24    1960-09-30,2.6,1.23076923076923,-1.1834410747533701,-0.485,-0.868
25    1960-12-31,1.98,1.36008160489629,-3.40288889671128,0.973,0.687
26    1961-03-31,2.02,1.46208772526351,-3.70270302331357,0.267,0.433
27    1961-06-30,1.73,0.7767646065518421,-2.99432639175367,0.223,-0.203
28    1961-09-30,1.88,1.24957784532253,-2.0986149231641003,-0.467,0.639
29    1961-12-31,2.33,0.670915800067101,-1.15397628509949,0.777,-0.292
30    1962-03-31,2.85,1.1058981233243999,-0.395369103712288,0.307,0.258
31    1962-06-30,2.68,1.23994638069705,-0.5142081861024811,0.345,0.340
32    1962-09-30,2.9,1.46764509673116,-0.328201125564153,0.750,0.259
33    1962-12-31,2.93,1.23292235921359,-1.03770458828263,1.208,-0.442
34    1963-03-31,2.98,1.12694729864103,-0.998427625089183,0.085,0.117
35    1963-06-30,2.99,1.3240648791790801,-0.940761254465188,0.521,0.037
36    1963-09-30,3.48,0.9861932938855921,0.163507508208573,-0.040,-0.910
37    1963-12-31,3.38,1.6458196181698501,-0.258794137797397,0.264,0.392
38    1964-03-31,3.43,1.4093739757456598,0.763713697395187,-0.175,-0.651
39    1964-06-30,3.5,1.3067624959163702,0.766304918909705,0.118,-0.816
40    1964-09-30,3.45,1.171875,1.2417668571179,0.113,-0.600
41    1964-12-31,3.85,1.19818652849741,0.47054941130036293,0.916,-0.173
42    1965-03-31,4.05,1.19586296056883,1.78316878901643,-0.712,0.158
43    1965-06-30,4.05,1.9348597226701,1.97731873433792,-0.060,0.268
44    1965-09-30,4.02,1.73745173745175,3.11004901993496,-1.171,-0.524
45    1965-12-31,4.32,1.92,4.33647380749922,-0.858,-0.352
46    1966-03-31,4.66,2.77866496327052,5.7046988490738,-0.737,0.448
47    1966-06-30,5.17,2.43593799430561,4.90011261564657,0.483,-0.923
48    1966-09-30,5.4,3.57368753953194,4.620497348388151,-0.608,0.461
49    1966-12-31,5.4,3.3594976452119303,4.33062838887537,-0.560,-0.115
50    1967-03-31,4.53,2.54816656308266,4.10293808182514,-0.923,-1.359
51    1967-06-30,3.98,2.8412600370599,3.03150943962565,-0.668,-0.073
52    1967-09-30,3.99,2.59541984732825,2.8774658387274505,-1.068,-0.092
53    1967-12-31,4.51,3.28068043742405,2.5133350710282003,0.837,0.729
54    1968-03-31,5.05,3.9393939393939306,3.4528350267258503,0.297,-0.160
55    1968-06-30,6.07,4.2042042042042205,4.0332767273025505,0.428,-0.407
56    1968-09-30,5.78,4.46428571428571,3.6811367221819595,-0.431,0.232
57    1968-12-31,6.02,4.70588235294118,2.93299599231911,0.170,-0.122
58    1969-03-31,6.79,5.24781341107873,3.42832411537126,-0.041,-0.100
59    1969-06-30,8.9,5.47550432276657,2.68925808151413,2.301,-0.481
60    1969-09-30,9.15,5.6980056980057,2.37540048272579,0.154,0.043
61    1969-12-31,8.97,5.8988764044943895,0.9452888797325469,0.446,-0.225
62    1970-03-31,7.76,6.09418282548475,-0.0830248409505211,-0.430,-0.034
63    1970-06-30,7.61,6.01092896174862,-0.770000528348171,0.133,0.964
64    1970-09-30,6.29,5.660377358490571,-0.6512785951977901,-0.886,0.332
65    1970-12-31,4.9,5.570291777188309,-2.4729661943472205,-0.412,0.316
66    1971-03-31,3.71,4.43864229765014,-0.5906332648311321,-1.773,-1.069
67    1971-06-30,4.91,4.38144329896908,-0.8266173826235249,1.315,-0.450
68    1971-09-30,5.55,4.0816326530612095,-0.7894171885941271,0.887,-0.220
69    1971-12-31,4.14,3.2663316582914703,-1.3369751796729599,-1.057,-0.324
70    1972-03-31,3.83,3.5,-0.320628761132946,-0.919,0.390
71    1972-06-30,4.46,2.9629629629629703,1.12806105299218,-0.530,-0.705
72    1972-09-30,4.87,3.18627450980393,1.2616950384285,-0.257,-0.016
73    1972-12-31,5.33,3.40632603406326,2.1228808158000003,-0.421,-0.335
74    1973-03-31,7.09,4.830917874396139,3.7896741147310196,0.422,1.193
75    1973-06-30,8.49,5.99520383693046,4.02333766961136,0.979,0.593
76    1973-09-30,10.78,7.36342042755345,2.5905021548572598,2.633,0.801
77    1973-12-31,9.95,8.94117647058823,2.66648511874287,-0.741,1.147
78    1974-03-31,9.35,10.1382488479263,0.897353694084734,-0.190,1.217
79    1974-06-30,11.93,10.8597285067873,0.258469692309567,2.513,0.966
80    1974-09-30,11.34,11.946902654867301,-1.53347917704767,-0.079,1.105
81    1974-12-31,8.53,12.095032397408199,-2.7310970168023396,-2.549,0.192
82    1975-03-31,5.54,10.4602510460251,-4.6864048685335,-2.415,-0.576
83    1975-06-30,5.55,9.18367346938776,-4.75391952872478,-0.431,-0.736
84    1975-09-30,6.24,7.90513833992095,-3.86660928561085,-0.204,-0.750
85    1975-12-31,5.2,7.129094412331411,-3.3146936288521403,-1.131,0.365
86    1976-03-31,4.84,6.06060606060607,-1.8871145011353,-1.460,-0.822
87    1976-06-30,5.48,5.981308411214959,-1.92035184284495,1.117,0.007
88    1976-09-30,5.25,5.49450549450549,-2.15097869430899,-0.217,0.448
89    1976-12-31,4.65,5.03597122302158,-2.2164253433092997,-0.383,-0.004
90    1977-03-31,4.69,6.428571428571429,-1.8572003818662899,-0.710,2.078
91    1977-06-30,5.39,6.70194003527336,-0.766895965378733,0.062,-0.150
92    1977-09-30,6.14,6.4236111111111,0.19257917412786,0.237,-0.339
93    1977-12-31,6.56,6.6780821917808195,-0.645099692677573,0.955,0.157
94    1978-03-31,6.79,6.375838926174491,-1.17686749546427,0.851,0.247
95    1978-06-30,7.6,7.43801652892562,1.75775403480057,-1.027,0.895
96    1978-09-30,8.45,8.48287112561175,1.87896318138741,0.353,0.893
97    1978-12-31,10.03,8.98876404494383,2.33528313054414,0.878,0.207
98    1979-03-31,10.09,10.2523659305994,1.59529113138608,0.134,1.106
99    1979-06-30,10.29,11.076923076923098,0.8260289602037459,-0.155,0.737
100   1979-09-30,11.43,11.879699248120302,0.7481076426797428,1.163,0.725
101   1979-12-31,13.78,13.2547864506627,0.234935073156005,2.256,2.155
102   1980-03-31,17.19,14.592274678111599,-0.145938035791746,3.601,1.280
103   1980-06-30,9.47,14.2659279778393,-2.80952431003137,-6.025,0.957
104   1980-09-30,10.87,12.768817204301099,-3.45696931756158,0.064,-0.882
105   1980-12-31,18.9,12.3537061118336,-2.2210902616987402,7.385,-0.947
106   1981-03-31,14.7,10.6117353308365,-0.932809655723223,-2.935,-0.978
107   1981-06-30,19.1,9.696969696969699,-2.3248692510398703,4.699,-1.094
108   1981-09-30,15.87,10.965435041716301,-1.8482889190117902,-2.489,1.370
109   1981-12-31,12.37,8.91203703703702,-3.6278304107907795,-2.638,-1.323
110   1982-03-31,14.68,6.8848758465011395,-5.83891869134385,3.393,-1.742
111   1982-06-30,14.15,7.18232044198895,-6.132922978732211,1.065,0.036
112   1982-09-30,10.31,4.940923737916231,-7.214488530384691,-2.409,-1.281
113   1982-12-31,8.95,3.82571732199788,-7.90316137202428,-0.280,-0.248
114   1983-03-31,8.77,3.5902851108764398,-7.41214362679855,0.260,0.362
115   1983-06-30,8.98,2.4742268041237203,-6.050145080617981,0.383,-0.837
116   1983-09-30,9.45,2.76356192425794,-4.9414080984180995,1.343,0.217
117   1983-12-31,9.47,3.7871033776867997,-3.7621424029372,1.003,0.800
118   1984-03-31,9.91,4.89296636085628,-2.71812680501935,1.070,0.607
119   1984-06-30,11.06,4.32595573440644,-1.90511880215956,2.158,-1.267
120   1984-09-30,11.3,4.2828685258964105,-1.8411742556138102,0.755,0.067
121   1984-12-31,8.38,4.04339250493096,-1.9239720933926698,-2.200,-0.308
122   1985-03-31,8.58,3.79008746355684,-1.8590108416201898,0.254,0.143
123   1985-06-30,7.53,3.66441658630665,-1.87767262952552,-0.259,0.463
124   1985-09-30,7.92,3.2473734479465097,-1.2597266954651298,0.405,-0.378
125   1985-12-31,8.27,3.7914691943127994,-1.39157493451705,0.866,0.754
126   1986-03-31,7.48,2.15355805243445,-1.3235878998143502,-0.680,-2.157
127   1986-06-30,6.92,1.76744186046512,-1.7164850869778299,0.065,-0.266
128   1986-09-30,5.89,1.75763182238668,-1.60533767953446,-0.963,0.175
129   1986-12-31,6.91,1.1872146118721398,-1.89400231416704,0.729,-1.186
130   1987-03-31,6.13,2.8414298808432696,-1.966948227567,0.114,1.247
131   1987-06-30,6.73,3.7477148080438702,-1.7020267188253502,0.294,0.461
132   1987-09-30,7.22,4.27272727272728,-1.63097345358524,0.982,0.186
133   1987-12-31,6.77,4.33212996389891,-0.724025407366893,-0.660,-0.467
134   1988-03-31,6.58,3.8324420677361806,-0.9778189868959509,0.351,-0.306
135   1988-06-30,7.51,3.9647577092510997,-0.44223490191758097,1.093,0.135
136   1988-09-30,8.19,4.1848299912816,-0.6131558539416689,0.937,-0.472
137   1988-12-31,8.76,4.41176470588236,-0.0421367954053359,0.708,-0.471
138   1989-03-31,9.85,4.892703862660951,0.22887035120122198,0.876,0.596
139   1989-06-30,9.53,5.1694915254237195,0.255451344833993,-0.432,-0.102
140   1989-09-30,9.02,4.43514644351464,0.26797662181252596,-0.296,-0.453
141   1989-12-31,8.45,4.63960231980116,-0.25408705085711,-0.388,-0.271
142   1990-03-31,8.28,5.23731587561374,0.127192690773833,-0.088,0.692
143   1990-06-30,8.29,4.67365028203063,-0.20495857683561702,0.098,-0.542
144   1990-09-30,8.2,6.1698717948718,-0.811015020009073,0.832,1.809
145   1990-12-31,7.31,6.25494853523357,-2.35723182057237,0.077,0.245
146   1991-03-31,6.12,4.821150855365491,-3.43633741462484,-0.490,-0.713
147   1991-06-30,5.9,4.69591993841416,-3.2914513480817904,-0.412,-0.176
148   1991-09-30,5.45,3.3962264150943398,-3.40093627088758,-0.180,-0.923
149   1991-12-31,4.43,2.9806259314456005,-3.6591865021205403,-0.713,0.376
150   1992-03-31,3.98,3.18991097922847,-3.1032390313668197,-0.185,-0.112
151   1992-06-30,3.76,3.01470588235294,-2.65805760096491,0.285,0.245
152   1992-09-30,3.22,2.992700729927,-2.314744246218,-0.970,-0.120
153   1992-12-31,2.92,2.9667149059334506,-1.9214586443247899,-0.323,-0.036
154   1993-03-31,3.07,3.01941049604602,-2.3866672905904203,-0.245,-0.039
155   1993-06-30,3.04,2.99785867237689,-2.45861078783254,0.638,0.527
156   1993-09-30,3.09,2.76399716513112,-2.6363656746403796,-0.115,-0.227
157   1993-12-31,2.96,2.8109627547434997,-1.96530274837652,-0.606,0.338
158   1994-03-31,3.34,2.65177948360083,-1.67143706785824,0.070,-0.443
159   1994-06-30,4.25,2.49480249480249,-1.0011535429433,0.460,-0.141
160   1994-09-30,4.73,2.96551724137932,-1.0917631864911899,1.164,0.639
161   1994-12-31,5.45,2.59740259740259,-0.634907502663944,0.607,-0.712
162   1995-03-31,5.98,2.78721957851801,-0.956307220153808,0.994,-0.016
163   1995-06-30,6.0,3.0425963488843797,-1.33680636432952,0.576,0.074
164   1995-09-30,5.8,2.5452109845947595,-1.1760202405642501,0.408,-0.275
165   1995-12-31,5.6,2.5316455696202596,-1.19415230027234,-0.412,-0.132
166   1996-03-31,5.31,2.84391534391535,-1.1508810742053999,-0.187,0.112
167   1996-06-30,5.27,2.82152230971128,-0.24404148089042801,0.149,-0.420
168   1996-09-30,5.3,3.00457217504898,-0.138915195431954,0.541,-0.133
169   1996-12-31,5.29,3.37881741390513,0.0635949993509774,-0.440,0.058
170   1997-03-31,5.39,2.7652733118971096,-0.16424887064469598,0.400,-0.674
171   1997-06-30,5.56,2.23356732610083,0.580242788390436,-0.145,-1.144
172   1997-09-30,5.54,2.21940393151554,0.884204371118653,-0.166,-0.198
173   1997-12-31,5.5,1.69704588309241,0.7721923950170649,0.315,-1.341
174   1998-03-31,5.49,1.3767209011263999,0.77912804442725,0.344,-0.316
175   1998-06-30,5.56,1.62297128589265,0.691778234542933,0.458,-0.061
176   1998-09-30,5.51,1.4267990074441799,0.9201189814074309,0.037,-0.593
177   1998-12-31,4.68,1.6069221260815802,1.50389767532101,-1.084,-0.400
178   1999-03-31,4.81,1.7283950617284,1.40669967143076,-0.022,0.054
179   1999-06-30,4.76,1.9656019656019599,1.13004879512025,0.056,-0.030
180   1999-09-30,5.22,2.62996941896025,1.3888543149422101,0.234,0.094
181   1999-12-31,5.3,2.67639902676399,2.03320557972916,-0.195,-0.389
182   2000-03-31,5.85,3.76213592233009,1.33145222194351,0.780,0.680
183   2000-06-30,6.53,3.73493975903614,2.1398150002152403,0.248,-0.479
184   2000-09-30,6.52,3.4564958283670895,1.28399871245062,0.090,-0.624
185   2000-12-31,6.4,3.43601895734596,0.979028879258919,0.129,-0.533
186   2001-03-31,5.31,2.98245614035087,-0.18389595077562898,-0.453,-0.486
187   2001-06-30,3.97,3.1939605110336804,-0.421129656932672,-0.998,0.113
188   2001-09-30,3.07,2.59216589861751,-1.59704954123507,-0.138,-0.636
189   2001-12-31,1.82,1.6036655211913002,-2.04234721023999,-1.342,-0.904
190   2002-03-31,1.73,1.36286201022147,-1.86106776931199,-0.315,-0.025
191   2002-06-30,1.75,1.06921778277997,-1.91404590152125,-0.139,-0.621
192   2002-09-30,1.75,1.51600224592926,-2.10488944110558,0.287,0.397
193   2002-12-31,1.24,2.48027057497182,-2.5651417481437297,0.026,1.536
194   2003-03-31,1.25,3.0252100840336205,-2.62938440546031,-0.280,0.473
195   2003-06-30,1.22,1.94877505567929,-2.40005391511619,-0.419,-0.631
196   2003-09-30,1.01,2.37831858407079,-1.35684687552113,-0.767,0.479
197   2003-12-31,0.98,2.03520352035203,-0.8467875817703159,-0.581,-0.063
198   2004-03-31,1.0,1.74007612833061,-0.949496350912265,-0.918,-0.341
199   2004-06-30,1.03,3.1676679410158397,-0.8364115373621279,-0.172,1.867
200   2004-09-30,1.61,2.53916801728796,-0.5537514927377939,0.109,-0.277
201   2004-12-31,2.16,3.34231805929919,-0.220205835237452,0.347,0.902
202   2005-03-31,2.63,3.2068412613575603,0.23434161076605897,-0.205,-0.189
203   2005-06-30,3.04,2.54102699841185,0.0699309604774509,0.344,-0.976
204   2005-09-30,3.62,4.741833508956799,0.34734829174376103,0.189,2.180
205   2005-12-31,4.16,3.33854981742306,0.38412342334435706,0.089,-1.169
206   2006-03-31,4.59,3.4179181771103,1.1384729840980201,-0.075,-0.099
207   2006-06-30,4.99,4.18172431595252,0.8126488186646078,0.598,0.753
208   2006-09-30,5.25,2.01207243460765,0.436106155935471,-0.087,-2.470
209   2006-12-31,5.24,2.52397778899546,0.785726760217192,-0.239,0.213
210   2007-03-31,5.26,2.7981972959439303,0.525388815349257,0.027,0.199
211   2007-06-30,5.25,2.6927651139742297,0.607348372938478,0.152,-0.468
212   2007-09-30,4.94,2.8338264299802702,0.661100180718256,-0.485,-0.049
213   2007-12-31,4.24,4.10881339241753,0.7875737309132349,-0.696,1.115
214   2008-03-31,2.61,3.97490355013444,-0.262241523697885,-1.531,0.808
215   2008-06-30,2.0,4.935966105947861,-0.19875821907218502,-1.425,1.110
216   2008-09-30,1.81,4.95331987513607,-1.15977203418283,-0.291,0.040
217   2008-12-31,0.16,-0.0222280025538542,-3.6811096586228196,-0.685,-4.763
218   2009-03-31,0.18,-0.44647876766238304,-5.105959839779111,0.659,-0.063
219   2009-06-30,0.21,-1.22917461821092,-5.5593822687325,0.693,-0.621
220   2009-09-30,0.15,-1.37794286288647,-5.512739305536491,0.133,-0.448
221   2009-12-31,0.12,2.81412312320836,-4.76487589423939,-0.031,4.230
222   2010-03-31,0.16,2.28617143932799,-4.68931557436618,0.191,-0.682
223   2010-06-30,0.18,1.12156059406863,-4.112023396511041,-0.124,-0.714
224   2010-09-30,0.19,1.11831224723318,-3.72133424703323,0.165,-0.125
225   2010-12-31,0.18,1.43779302221793,-3.56657801627631,-0.298,0.864
226   2011-03-31,0.14,2.61924151035412,-4.13760905187267,0.403,1.747
227   2011-06-30,0.09,3.5023181506360497,-3.80430131427207,-0.430,1.277
228   2011-09-30,0.08,3.81262169281869,-4.19394736349933,0.335,0.479
229   2011-12-31,0.07,3.0620668384193905,-3.4575680745399304,-0.543,-0.320
230   2012-03-31,0.13,2.5828752813321,-3.08512141382203,-0.252,0.109
231   2012-06-30,0.16,1.6538704482976399,-3.06191827769572,-0.164,-0.828
232   2012-09-30,0.14,1.94971689828196,-3.3313481416327595,-0.218,0.194
233   2012-12-31,0.16,1.75950497968955,-3.6261463196812795,-0.053,0.081
234   2013-03-31,0.14,1.5187472411246299,-3.18435190516344,-0.611,0.613
235   2013-06-30,0.09,1.7157935271568798,-3.4815155700044604,-0.054,0.667
236   2013-09-30,0.08,1.0947341081747999,-3.1453576711455296,-0.159,-0.652
237   2013-12-31,0.09,1.5128383667573402,-2.7986941261465494,-0.108,0.207
238   2014-03-31,0.08,1.6126949139408002,-3.50063789313437,0.864,0.250
239   2014-06-30,0.1,2.05898169459442,-2.6287759707136096,-0.616,0.823
240   2014-09-30,0.09,1.68405097112321,-1.8828725642263702,-0.052,-0.451
241   2014-12-31,0.12,0.6531213919623101,-1.7761729493948,-0.340,-0.358
242   2015-03-31,0.11,-0.0220312844238787,-1.2911229144002199,-0.431,-0.743
243   2015-06-30,0.13,0.17957180975505602,-1.06939512589382,-0.250,-0.314
244   2015-09-30,0.14,0.00884296163417366,-1.15085814666355,-0.286,-1.044
245   2015-12-31,0.24,0.638724751536489,-1.4223077252127,0.221,0.616
246   2016-03-31,0.36,0.8916160965521971,-1.28837116764697,-0.290,0.620
247   2016-06-30,0.38,1.07928653479594,-1.39493753540405,0.075,-0.305
248   2016-09-30,0.4,1.54864462016522,-1.2649087342853502,-0.020,0.519
249   2016-12-31,0.54,2.05079891151198,-1.04550499445061,0.101,0.643
250   2017-03-31,0.79,2.3882728494623597,-0.8843513786202221,-0.221,0.533
251   2017-06-30,1.04,1.66346129829907,-0.862211830496506,-0.461,-0.737
252   2017-09-30,1.15,2.2286628851958703,-0.555002343177962,-0.329,0.301
253   2017-12-31,1.3,2.10149317705049,-0.0318971276794431,-0.206,-0.108
254   2018-03-31,1.51,2.3592297531239,0.455823358487293,-0.209,-0.087
255   2018-06-30,1.82,2.83926655692864,0.668481331598537,0.133,0.188
256   2018-09-30,1.95,2.28431440148286,0.724778191607645,-0.236,-0.270
257   2018-12-31,2.27,1.9201892337003899,0.57947034914274,0.432,-0.302
258   2019-03-31,2.41,1.85558499020107,0.8274992790566759,0.117,-0.158
259   2019-06-30,2.38,1.70056380200039,0.715465002742848,-0.862,-0.437
260   2019-09-30,2.04,1.72454130532193,0.870835439009005,-0.710,-0.336
261   2019-12-31,1.55,2.26144883224485,0.988058060651708,-0.555,0.273
262   2020-03-31,0.65,1.51172353008298,-0.7472702801193281,0.117,-0.158
263   2020-06-30,0.08,0.727812295682057,-10.0796433226415,-0.862,-0.437
264   2020-09-30,0.09,1.40996055073052,-3.78112111825184,-0.710,-0.336
265   2020-12-31,0.09,1.3001398124731398,-3.1921751958364397,-0.555,0.273

T = readtable('data.csv','LeadingDelimitersRule','keep','ReadVariableNames',true);
T(1:5,:)

ans = 5x6 table
       Var1       ffrate      inf        gap      proxy_1    proxy_2
    __________    ______    ________    ______    _______    _______

    1955-03-31     1.35     -0.51987    2.1123     0.252     -0.476 
    1955-06-30     1.64     -0.85375    3.1059    -0.942      1.259 
    1955-09-30     2.18       0.1492    3.8394    -0.853      0.631 
    1955-12-31     2.48      0.37355    3.7838     0.098     -0.298 
    1956-03-31      2.5      0.37327    2.7021     -0.02     -0.139