US STOCKS-Futures up on Intel results, regional factory data

* Intel results spur global appetite for equities

* New York business index strongest since April 2008

* Technology shares set to lead the market higher

* For up-to-the-minute market news click [STXNEWS/US]
(Updates prices, adds details)

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK, July 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks headed for a
sharply higher open on Wednesday as Intel Corp's (INTC.O) solid
quarterly results and outlook reinforced hopes for an economic
recovery and a rebound in technology spending.

Regional U.S. economic data underpinned the positive
sentiment, with the New York Fed's Empire State index for July
showing business conditions in the state at their strongest
since April 2008.

Shares of Intel, a chip-maker and Dow component, rose more
than 7 percent in pre-market trading as its results and outlook
blew past Wall Street forecasts, helped by strong consumer
demand for PCs, setting an auspicious tone for the technology
sector. For details see [ID:nLF507840].

Shares of AMD Micro Devices (AMD.N), Intel's main rival,
gained 7.3 percent, and the Technology Select Sector SPDR
(XLK.P) gained more than 2 percent.

Wall Street's advance would extend a global equities rally
after stocks rose in Asia overnight. In Europe, major indexes
were up almost 2 percent.

"The good news is that it appears the economy is turning a
corner and big companies like Intel are giving good guidance,"
said Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist at Ridgeworth
Investments in Richmond, Virginia.

"That's encouraging, but the market needs to avoid concerns
about inflation."

Government data also showed June U.S. consumer prices rose
at a slightly faster-than-expected pace, with the bulk of the
increase coming from a leap in gasoline prices, but the core
measure of inflation remained relatively tame. [ID:nN14266826]

S&P 500 futures SPc1 climbed 12.1 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 rose 96
points, and Nasdaq 100 NDc1 futures added 26.50 points.

An insight on how the Federal Reserve arrived at its recent
assessment of the economy's outlook is expected from minutes
from the latest Fed policy meeting, due at 2 p.m..

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as better-than-expected
corporate profits overshadowed concerns about weak consumer
demand.
(Additional reporting by Ryan Vlastelica; Editing by Padraic
Cassidy)