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* Futures down: Dow 0.52%, S&P 500 0.59%, Nasdaq 0.73%

March 26 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were down

on Thursday, following gains in the previous session, as

investors remained cautious over developments in the Middle East

while weighing the prospects of a de-escalation.

U.S. President ​Donald Trump said Iran was desperate to make

a deal to end the fighting, contradicting the Iranian foreign

minister who said Tehran was reviewing a U.S. proposal but had

​no intention of holding talks to wind down the conflict.

Conflicting signals from both sides left markets on edge, as

hopes for a breakthrough to restore shipping through the crucial

Strait of Hormuz remain uncertain.

"The relative calm in markets suggests some investor

confidence that hostilities may eventually wind down, however

slim that prospect remains," said Molly Schwartz, cross-asset

macro strategist at Rabobank.

At 04:55 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 242 points,

or 0.52%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 39.5 points, or

0.59%, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 177 points, or

0.73%.

Wall Street's main indexes closed higher on Wednesday after

Washington delivered a proposal to Iran through Pakistan, while

comments from Iranian officials suggested Tehran might be open

to diplomatic offers even as it publicly denied any ongoing

negotiations.

"Investors are trying to price out the war and price in a

peace rally ahead of time, but risks remain elevated," said Ipek

Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.

The oil price spike stemming from the conflict has revived

inflation concerns, putting central banks in a tough spot with

regards to interest rates.

Money market participants are no longer pricing in any

easing from the U.S. Federal Reserve this year, after previously

expecting about two rate cuts before the Iran conflict erupted,

according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool.

On the data front, investors will parse through a weekly

reading of jobless claims numbers and comments from Fed

Governors Lisa Cook, Stephen Miran, Michael Barr and Philip

Jefferson.

Among individual movers, shares of Olaplex Holdings ( OLPX )

jumped 47% in premarket trading after Germany's Henkel

agreed to buy the hair care brand in a $1.4-billion deal.

U.S.-listed shares of gold miners slipped as bullion prices

declined more than 2%. Newmont ( NEM ) slipped 2.8%,

Sibanye Stillwater lost 3.7% and Harmony Gold

shed 3%.