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* Super Micro Computer's rosy outlook powers chip stocks

* Insurer Travelers rises on higher Q4 profit

* Spirit Airlines mulls options to refinance debt, shares gain

* iRobot plunges on report Amazon deal faces EU block

* Futures up: Dow 0.55%, S&P 0.54%, Nasdaq 0.75%

Jan 19 (Reuters) -

Wall Street's main indexes were set to open higher on Friday as chip and megacap stocks continued their rise, while investors kept a close watch on ongoing corporate earnings and any hints about the timing of rate cuts.

Semiconductor stocks Advanced Micro Devices, Marvell Technology, Nvidia and Microchip Technology gained over 1% each in premarket trading after server-maker Super Micro Computer lifted its second-quarter profit forecast, driving a 10.1% surge in its shares.

Megacaps Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Apple also added between 0.6% and 1.0%.

The information technology index hit a record high on Wednesday and the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index inched closer to its all-time high. They were boosted by a recovery in chip stocks, following a bullish forecast focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC), the world's largest contract chipmaker.

"It seems that people are really looking at chip (stocks) to be the actual engine that's going to drive (AI) growth," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance.

"(AI is seen as) potentially the next growth engine, not only in terms of computing power and processing power, but also revolutionizing businesses."

The Nasdaq looks on course for weekly gains and the S&P 500 is nearing a record high despite a rocky start to the week, following mixed earnings from top investment banks and mostly disappointing comments on the possibility of early interest-rate cuts from central bankers, both at home and abroad.

On the economic-data front, December existing home sales and the preliminary reading of the University of Michigan's Consumer Sentiment Index for January are awaited at 10 a.m. ET.

Also on tap are remarks from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr for clues on the policy outlook before the blackout period begins, ahead of a meeting on Jan. 31.

Through the week, money market participants have toned down expectations for a 25-basis-point rate cut in March to 52%, nearing levels seen just before the central bank's December policy meeting, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool.

At 8:30 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis were up 207 points, or 0.55%, S&P 500 e-minis were up 26 points, or 0.54%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 127.75 points, or 0.75%.

Among individual movers, Travelers Cos jumped 5.6% after the insurer's fourth-quarter profit more than doubled, powered by stronger underwriting, higher investment returns and lower catastrophe losses.

Comerica

declined 1.5% after forecasting a drop in annual net interest income, while State Street advanced 5.2% after topping quarterly revenue expectations.

Spirit Airlines

gained 31.8% as it assessed options to refinance its 2025 debt maturities, amid analysts' concerns over the airline's ability to stay afloat.

iRobot slumped 34.6%, after a report said the European Union's competition watchdog plans to block Amazon.com's $1.4-billion acquisition of the robot vacuum maker.

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Ankika Biswas in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Siddarth S; Editing by Pooja Desai)