US stock futures posted moderate gains Wednesday after China reported better-than-expected economic growth for Q1, helping boost market sentiment, while traders evaluated a fresh batch of corporate earnings.

S&P 500 futures and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were each up 0.3%, and Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.4%.

Oil prices rose, with global benchmark Brent crude up 0.57% and US West Texas Intermediate crude up 0.58% on signs of strong demand from Chinese refineries.

At 8:30 am, data are expected to show the trade deficit widening to a consensus of $53.6 billion for February from January's $51.1 billion deficit, according to data compiled by Econoday.

At 10 am, forecasters see March wholesale inventories inching higher for a 0.3% gain vs. a 1.4% revised gain for February.

In equities, shares of DPW (DPW) soared 57.1% after the company's 2018 net loss narrowed on higher revenue compared with 2017.

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