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

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

*

Futures off: Dow 0.34%, S&P 500 0.33%, Nasdaq 0.49%

Aug 29 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures fell on

Friday as caution dominated the mood ahead of a highly

anticipated inflation report that could influence the Federal

Reserve's September interest-rate decision.

Contracts tracking the tech-heavy Nasdaq fell the most, with

personal computer maker Dell and chipmaker Marvell ( MRVL )

down 5.8% and 13% after their quarterly forecasts

missed expectations.

The dour reports came a day after AI leader Nvidia ( NVDA )

said geopolitical uncertainty clouded its China market

forecasts, although strength in overall results and bullish

comments from CEO Jensen Huang calmed worries of an imminent

slowdown in demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

The relief helped the S&P 500 and the blue-chip Dow

close at record highs on Thursday. The benchmark index

and the Nasdaq were on track for their fourth straight

month of gains.

Nvidia ( NVDA ) lost 1% in premarket trading after logging its

biggest daily drop in more than a week in the previous session.

The focus now shifts to a report on the Fed's preferred

inflation gauge - the Personal Consumption Expenditures index

(PCE) - expected before the bell.

Economists polled by Reuters expect the index to stay steady

at 2.6% in July from the month before. Excluding volatile items

like food and energy, however, the index is expected to rise

2.9%, up from 2.8% in June.

"Recent inflation developments offer little reassurance,"

said Seema Shah, chief global strategist for Principal Asset

Management.

"While July's inflation report wasn't alarmingly strong,

underlying signals point to building price pressures amid higher

trade tariffs."

At 05:43 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were down 154 points,

or 0.34%, S&P 500 E-minis were down 21.5 points, or

0.33%, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 117.5 points, or

0.49%.

Traders are pricing in an 84.2% chance that the Fed could

lower borrowing costs by 25 basis points in its September

meeting, according to data compiled by LSEG, further anchored by

Chair Jerome Powell's dovish comments at Jackson Hole where he

acknowledged labor market weakness.

Late on Thursday, Governor Christopher Waller, a candidate

for the central bank's top job, said he wants to start cutting

rates next month.

Still, some analysts have said overall data suggests a

resilient economy with little signs of U.S. tariffs fully

filtering through into prices yet.

On Friday, however, the U.S. tariff exemption for

package imports

valued under $800 ended, raising costs for businesses and,

in turn, consumers.

Attention this week was also on U.S. President Donald

Trump's tussle with the central bank.

Governor Lisa Cook filed a motion that declared Trump's

effort to fire her was unlawful and seeks to bar the Fed from

taking steps to remove her pending further litigation. A hearing

on the motion is due at 10 a.m. ET.

Long-term Treasury bond yields rose

on worries that a politically influenced Fed could reduce the

credibility of U.S. debt. Bond yields move inversely to prices

and higher yields weigh on riskier stocks.

Among others, global economy bellwether Caterpillar ( CAT )

lost 2.9% after raising its annual estimate for tariff-related

costs.

Cybersecurity company SentinelOne ( S ) rose 6.8% after

raising its annual revenue forecast. Apparel maker Gap

lost 1.8% after reporting comparable sales below estimates.

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika

Syamnath)