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Futures up: Dow 0.33%, S&P 500 0.31%, Nasdaq 0.34%

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Charter Communications ( CHTR ) to merge with Cox

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UnitedHealth ( UNH ) up after dropping 11% on Thursday

(Updates with analyst comment)

By Shashwat Chauhan and Pranav Kashyap

May 16 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on

Friday, positioning Wall Street to lock in a bullish week fueled

by a U.S.-China tariff truce and tamer inflation data, while

traders focused on a crucial vote on President Donald Trump's

sweeping tax legislation.

House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington cautioned

that Friday's planned vote on the tax bill might be delayed due

to opposition to the measure.

Wall Street's main indexes were poised for robust weekly

gains. The market found its footing earlier in the week,

rallying on Monday and Tuesday after Washington and Beijing

agreed to a 90-day pause in their escalating trade war.

This early-week surge successfully propelled the S&P 500

back into positive territory year-to-date - the first

time it's seen green since late February. It, however, remains

about 4% away from its all-time highs.

"Looking ahead, the risk-on momentum could persist for the

next month or so, although likely at a slower pace, with some

consolidation in risky assets," Societe Generale analysts said.

On the economic docket, University of Michigan's preliminary

consumer sentiment reading for May is due at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Data from earlier in the week showed U.S. retail sales

growth losing steam in April, while consumer prices staged a

moderate rebound.

Focus would also be on comments from Federal Reserve

policymakers, with at least two officials including Richmond Fed

President Thomas Barkin slated to speak throughout the day.

At 07:21 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 141 points, or

0.33%, S&P 500 E-minis were up 18.5 points, or 0.31%,

and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 72.25 points, or 0.34%.

Most megacap and growth stocks swung higher in premarket

trading, with Tesla leading gains with a 1.1% rise.

Big Tech was one of the biggest drivers on Wall Street this

week. The information technology sector was heading

towards an 8% gain, a weekly jump echoing the surge seen when

traders first seized on clear signals the White House was ready

to dial back its trade hostilities with Beijing.

"While risks remain, the markets are moving away from their

worst-case scenario and probably extrapolating this into a lower

likelihood of reciprocal tariffs being reinstated for the rest

of the world," Societe Generale said.

Vistra ( VST ) jumped 5.5% after the utility said it would

acquire seven natural gas generation facilities, with a combined

capacity of nearly 2,600 megawatt, from Lotus Infrastructure

Partners for $1.9 billion.

Estee Lauder ( EL ) advanced 4.4% after Michael Burry's

Scion Asset Management bought shares in the cosmetics company.

Shares of UnitedHealth ( UNH ) rose 2.4% after a near 11%

drop in the last session, when the stock was rocked after a

report the U.S. Department of Justice had begun a criminal

investigation into the insurer.

Applied Materials ( AMAT ) slipped 5% after the chipmaking

equipment maker missed estimates for second-quarter revenue.

Charter Communications ( CHTR ) rose 9.8% after the media

company said it would merge with Cox Communications in a deal

that would value the privately held firm at about $34.5 billion.