(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock

markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window)

*

Nvidia ( NVDA ) inches up ahead of annual software developer

conference

*

Tesla slips after RBC lowers price target

*

Gold miners gain as prices hit record high

*

Futures down: Dow 0.17%, S&P 500 0.22%, Nasdaq 0.34%

(Updates with Tesla price target cut)

By Pranav Kashyap and Johann M Cherian

March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures slipped on

Tuesday ahead of the Federal Reserve's upcoming meeting that

will be closely monitored for commentary from the central bank

on potential economic ramifications of ongoing tariff disputes.

The central bank's two-day rate-setting meeting starts later

in the day, and is set to conclude on Wednesday. Markets

anticipate it will maintain the status quo on interest rates,

according to data compiled by LSEG.

The Fed's updated economic projections will shed light on

policymakers' assessments of the tariff developments.

"The changes that we do expect (from the central bank) are

in a pessimistic direction," said Ryan Wang, U.S. economist at

HSBC.

"The potential 'stagflationary' risks from tariffs and trade

policy uncertainty create a complication for the monetary policy

outlook".

President Donald Trump's tariffs have ignited a trade

skirmish with key U.S. trading partners, including swift

retaliatory tariffs. Analysts noted U.S. equities entered

oversold territory last week.

At 07:23 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 73 points,

or 0.17%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 12.25 points, or

0.22%, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 67.75 points, or

0.34%.

The S&P 500 plunged more than 10% from its February

high, confirming the bellwether index has been in a correction

since then.

The blue-chip Dow index hovered about 3% shy of a

correction, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq confirmed it is

in a correction on March 6.

Nvidia ( NVDA ) edged higher in premarket trading. The

company is expected to reveal details of its latest AI chip at

its annual software developer conference.

Tesla fell 1.8% after brokerage RBC trimmed its

price target on the stock, flagging that the EV maker is losing

market share in China and Europe.

Gold, often traded as a safe-haven asset, crossed $3,000 per

ounce for the first time last week, and hit yet another record

high earlier in the session.

U.S.-listed stocks of gold miners such as Barrick Gold

rose 2.7% and Gold Fields gained 2.6%.

Some investors engaged in "dip buying," capitalizing on

discounted U.S. equities, and that has propelled all three major

indexes up more than 2% each over the past two sessions.

Focus will also be on developments related to the

Ukraine-Russia war as Trump was scheduled to speak to Russian

President Vladimir Putin later in the day.