U.S. stock futures signal gains; all eyes on Fed

* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher opening on Wall Street on Wednesday as investors awaited the Federal Reserve's statement on interest rates and the economy.

* At 1010 GMT futures for the S&P 500 SPc1 were up 0.67 percent, Dow Jones DJc1 futures were up 0.62 percent and Nasdaq 100 NDc1 futures were up 0.34 percent.

* The Fed is expected to reaffirm that policies to support the economy will stay in place for some time, even as signs of recovery mount. [ID:nFEDAHEAD]

* The auto sector was in focus on Wednesday with Nissan Motor Co (7201.T: Quote, Profile, Research) predicting a year profit as soaring sales in China helped drive quarterly earnings beyond the market's expectations, and after General Motors' [GM.UL] decision to keep its European arm Opel, which it partly attributed to improving business conditions.

* Shares in Kraft Foods Inc (KFT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) will be in the spotlight after the world's second-largest food company posted third-quarter earnings after the bell on Wall Street. Kraft's stock traded in Frankfurt (KFT.F: Quote, Profile, Research) were down 2.7 percent.

* Oil rose above $80 a barrel on Wednesday, adding to the previous day's strong gains, while the dollar retreated from a one-month high against a currency basket.

* The Nikkei average .N225 gained 0.4 percent, while European shares were up 1.1 percent in morning trade, as buoyant auto shares such as Daimler (DAIGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research), Fiat (FIA.MI: Quote, Profile, Research) and Renault (RENA.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) helped the market bounce back from its previous session's sharp drop.

* On the macro front, investors will keep an eye on the monthly ADP National Employment data and the ISM non-manufacturing index.

* The Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N: Quote, Profile, Research) breakthrough deal to build one of its theme parks in Shanghai marks a major advance for Western media and entertainment firms trying to crack a tough China market. [ID:nN03523281]