US STOCKS-Futures rise on earnings, S&P could test 1,130

* Oracle, RIMM jump in premarket after results

* Key 1,130 level for S&P 500 could be tested

* Futures up: S&P 3.8 pts, Dow 40 pts, Nasdaq 5.75 pts

* For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US] (Writes through, adds details, quote, byline)

By Leah Schnurr

NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday as solid reports from technology bellwethers Oracle and Research In Motion put the S&P 500 on track to test a key level that has stymied investors for months.

The world's No. 3 software maker Oracle Corp jumped 4.2 percent to $26.43, while BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd surged 5.1 percent at $48.85 in premarket trading. Both recorded better-than-expected results late Thursday and gave outlooks that topped expectations. For details, see [ID:nN16154992] [ID:nN16189389]

Futures indicated stocks were poised to rise 0.5 percent at the open, which could lift the S&P 500 just above the much-watched technical level of 1,130. That point has proved to tough to break through since June, and a push above there could be a bullish sign.

"It's very important that we continue that through the day and go higher because if we stall out during the day at these levels, that might mean we won't have a breakout," said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham Financial Services in Charlotte, Vermont.

The last time the S&P rose above 1,130 was in late June on an intraday basis, but it failed to close there. It also proved a resistance point in August, when the index climbed to around 1,127.

Chartists are looking for a decisive move higher, with that level representing the neckline of an inverse head-and-shoulders formation. Moving above it opens the door for the index to test its 2010 high near 1,220.

On the economic front, the August Consumer Price Index is due at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT). Economists in a Reuters survey expect a 0.2 percent increase, compared with a 0.3 percent rise in July. Preliminary September consumer sentiment will be released at 9:55 a.m. EDT (1355 GMT), with a reading of 70.0 expected compared with 68.9 in the final August report. [ECI/US]

S&P 500 futures rose 1.5 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 added 17 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 6.25 points. Wall Street was little changed on Thursday.

Texas Instruments Inc shares rose 3 percent to $25.72 as the chipmaker increased its stock repurchase program and boosted its quarterly dividend by 8 percent. [ID:nN16252092]

In mergers and acquisition news, Johnson & Johnson said it is in talks to buy Dutch biotech Crucell NV for 1.75 billion euros ($2.3 billion). [ID:nLDE68G076]

Friday marks the second day of "quadruple witching," or the quarterly settlement and expiration of four different types of September equity futures and options contracts that expire later in the day.

Expiration usually leads to greater volume and volatility as traders adjust or exercise their derivatives positions. But the two-day event, which only happens four times a year in March, June, September and December, could stir up more sudden swings in the market as traders close hedging positions or roll them over at the last minute. (Reporting by Leah Schnurr; additional reporting by Angela Moon; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)