US STOCKS-Futures gain on weak dollar, rise in oil

* Crude oil rises as U.S. dollar falls

* Economist group raises growth forecast

* Futures up: S&P 11.3 pts, Dow 96 pts, Nasdaq 16.75 pts

* For up-to-the-minute market news, click [STXNEWS/US]

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK, Nov 23 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday, looking to snap a three-session losing streak, as the U.S. dollar fell against a basket of currencies, helping commodity and natural resource stocks.

* January crude futures gained more than 1.2 percent to $78.40 per barrel, as the U.S. dollar index .DXY slid 0.7 percent. [ID:nSYD484303]

* The National Association for Business Economists boosted its forecast for economic growth over the next year, but said the jobless rate will remain stubbornly high, according to a survey released on Monday. [ID:nN20235772]

* Technology stocks will be in focus, ahead of the release of quarterly results from Dow component Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N). Campbell Soup Co (CPB.N) is also scheduled to report results.

* Economic indicators on tap for Monday include existing home sales data for October.

* S&P 500 futures SPc1 rose 11.3 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 DJc1 gained 96 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures NDc1 added 16.75 points.

* A senior U.S. Federal Reserve official said Sunday the central bank should extend its mortgage-related assets purchase program to give policymakers more flexibility as they seek to help the economy recover from a painful recession. [ID:nN22246631]

* Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) has talked with News Corp (NWSA.O) about a tie-up that would involve News getting paid to take its news websites off Google Inc (GOOG.O), a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. [ID:nN22225861]

* Ciena Corp (CIEN.O) will buy Nortel Networks Corp's (NRTLQ.PK) optical networking and carrier ethernet business for $769 million after trumping Nokia Siemens Networks in a three-day auction, sources told Reuters on Sunday. [ID:nN22395163]

* China's annual economic growth will reach 10 percent this quarter and rise even faster in the first quarter of 2010, an official of the State Council Development Research Centre said on Monday. [ID:nPEK280835]

* European equities rose, snapping a four-day losing streak, with firmer crude and metal prices boosting commodity shares. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top shares added 1.6 percent.

* U.S. stocks fell for a third straight day Friday as weaker-than-expected results from computer maker Dell Inc (DELL.O) and homebuilder D.R. Horton (DHI.N) underscored the rocky road to recovery.

(Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)