* Brent crude oil rises above $124
* Major European markets closed for Easter weekend
* Futures up: Dow 34 pts, S&P 3.4 pts, Nasdaq 6.25 pts
* For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US] (Updates with Fed outlook, Radio Shack results, updates prices)
By Edward Krudy
NEW YORK, April 25 (Reuters) - Upward momentum from a raft of recent strong earnings reports helped lift U.S. stock index futures on Monday, although traders eyed rising oil prices as a potential negative for the market.
Of S&P 500 companies that have reported to date, 75 percent beat analysts' expectations. That is just above the average over the last four quarters but well above the average of 62 percent since 1994, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Companies reporting earnings on Monday include Express
Scripts
"With no negative news hitting the tapes recently, the market is riding a wave of positive earnings, which is carrying the recent upside momentum," said Andre Bakhos, director of market analytics at Lek Securities in New York. "All this in the face of higher oil prices."
Brent crude oil
Bakhos noted that activity would likely be subdued as many major European markets remain closed over the long Easter weekend. U.S. traders are returning after markets were closed on Friday for the Easter holiday weekend.
Silver jumped more than 5 percent and gold rose to a record on Monday as investors sought shelter against a weaker dollar, while prices of grains and crude oil surged on supply fears.
S&P 500 futures
The U.S. Federal Reserve is meeting this week and will hold the first of four news conferences on Wednesday. Investors are looking for clues about the direction of monetary policy when the Fed's bond-buying program ends in June.
RadioShack Corp's
Road construction equipment maker Astec Industries Inc
U.S. stocks posted their first positive week in three as healthy earnings news lifted Wall Street on Thursday.
Japan's Nikkei stock average inched down in thin trade on Monday as investors grew cautious ahead of key corporate earnings reports and a closely watched U.S. Federal Reserve meeting this week but buoyant shipping stocks provided support.
NYSE Euronext
(Editing by Kenneth Barry)