US STOCKS-Futures rise on earnings, ahead of Fed

* Fed policy statement, Bernanke news briefing on tap

* Whirlpool beats expectations

* Futures up: Dow 42 pts, S&P 4.4 pts, Nasdaq 15.25 pts

* For up-to-the-minute market news see STXNEWS/US

(Updates market activity)

By Edward Krudy

NEW YORK, April 27 (Reuters) - Forecast-beating results from big U.S. corporations and expectations of more of the same easy money policies from the Federal Reserve lifted index futures on Wednesday, with stocks set to run higher after the S&P 500 moved above a technical resistance level.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will likely use his first-ever news conference on monetary policy to hammer home the case for a patient approach to withdrawing the central bank's extensive support for the U.S. economy and point to low interest rates in the near future. For details see [ID:nN26291565]

Oliver Pursche, president at Gary Goldberg Financial Services in Suffern, New York, said investors were coming to the view that the Fed would maintain ultra low interest rates at least until the end of the year and probably beyond.

"Equities continue to be very attractive on a relative basis," he said. "At the end of the day we do not expect interest rate policy to change."

Whirlpool Corp continued the parade of forecast beating companies. The world's largest appliance maker trumped quarterly profit and sales estimates on cost controls and improving sales in most markets. The shares rose 3.2 percent to $90.70. [ID:nN27109840]

S&P 500 futures added 4.4 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 42 points and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 15.25 points.

In Tuesday's session, strong earnings lifted Wall Street to its highest level since crashing to a bear market low more than two years ago. The S&P 500 broke through a level where it had faced significant resistance.

The Federal Open Market Committee will release a statement on interest rate policy at 12:30 p.m. (1630 GMT). In a Reuters poll, dealers expect the fed funds rate will remain in the 0.0 percent to 0.25 percent range. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold media briefing at 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT).

The dollar fell broadly on Wednesday and looked set to remain pressed due to expectations the Federal Reserve will stick with its ultra-loose monetary policy and point to continued low interest rates.

Johnson & Johnson is to buy Swiss medical devices maker Synthes Inc for 19 billion Swiss francs ($21.59 billion) in its largest ever buy, boosting its surgical business and reshaping the wider industry. J&J shares 1.5 percent to $63.95 premarket. [ID:nL3E7FR0K9]

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago releases at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) its Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index for March. The index was 83.3 in the prior month.

Tokyo stocks <.N225> gained 1.4 percent after a batch of Japanese and U.S. corporate earnings came in better than expected. The FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top European shares rose 0.5 percent.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)