March 11 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures inched

lower on Wednesday as investors assessed an in-line February

consumer prices reading and the Federal Reserve's outlook for

monetary policy.

A Labor Department report showed that the Consumer Price

Index rose 0.3% on a monthly basis in February, in line with a

0.3% increase forecast by economists polled by Reuters. It stood

at 2.4% on a year-on-year basis, in line with an estimated 2.4%

rise.

The core figure, excluding volatile food and energy

components, rose 0.2% on a monthly basis, compared with

expectations for a 0.2% advance. It came in at 2.5% on a

year-on-year basis, versus an estimated 2.5% increase.

At 8:35 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 143 points,

or 0.3%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 10.5 points, or 0.15%

and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 31.75 points, or 0.13%.