US STOCKS-Futures rise on growing stimulus bets

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* Futures up: Dow 0.3%, S&P 0.4%, Nasdaq 0.3%

By Ambar Warrick
Dec 16 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on
Wednesday tracking further progress toward a bumper coronavirus
stimulus package, while markets hoped for an affirmation of
continued easy monetary policy from the Federal Reserve's last
meeting for the year.
U.S. congressional leaders reported substantial progress
toward a spending bill late on Tuesday, bolstering hopes of
increased liquidity to offset the COVID-19 pandemic's economic
impact. The Fed is also expected to keep lending rates at near-zero
and signal their staying there for the foreseeable future at the
conclusion of a two-day meeting later on Wednesday. Markets are
anticipating an update on the Fed's bond-buying program.
The mix of low interest rates and increased liquidity has
brightened the outlook for equities, with markets having moved
in tandem with any progress toward fresh stimulus in recent
weeks.
U.S. S&P 500 E-minis EScv1 were up 12.75 points, or 0.35%,
at 06:08 a.m. ET. Dow E-minis 1YMcv1 were up 93 points, or
0.31%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis NQcv1 were up 40 points, or 0.32%.
Wall Street indexes benefited from a rally in technology
stocks on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq .IXIC ending at a record
high as investors continued to buy into the sector's perceived
resilience to the pandemic.
Twitter Inc TWTR.N rose 3.5% in premarket trade on
Wednesday, after J.P. Morgan upgraded its stock to "overweight"
as it expects the social media company to stage a significant
rebound in online advertising following a pandemic-fueled
decline. Shares of marijuana producers Aphria Inc APHA.TO APHA.O
and rival Tilray Inc TLRY.O jumped 11.8% and 22.0%,
respectively, after a report that the two companies had agreed
to combine their operations.