Companies are spilling the beans on how they're doing, also known as its earnings season,

and a manufacturing resurrection.

From Marketplace, I'm Sabri Benashoreore, in for David Broncaccio.

Manufacturing had been in its own private recession for 16 months up until March,

when it finally started expanding, and that is showing up in the data.

Durable goods orders rose 2.6% in March.

Durable goods are big ticket items, everything from washing machines to airplanes.

Joining us to talk about it is Susan Schmidt,

head of public equity at the state of Wisconsin

Investment Board.

Hi, Susan.

Good morning.

Durable goods.

We're buying more big things that last a while. What's that telling us about the economy?

We are buying more big things that last a while.

So remember that this is more economic data coming out that the Fed is looking at trying to gauge how the economy is doing.

So durable goods printed up 2.6 percent, estimates for a positive 2.5 percent.

That's a good number. That's a slow and steady. We're starting to see

manufacturing come back online. That's supportive overall that the economy is

starting to get back on track into where the Fed wants it to be.

Just to broaden this out a bit, we are in the middle of earning season where various and sundry companies

tell us how things are going and the big concern this year has been the Fed will hold

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