* Futures up: Dow 0.05%, S&P 500 0.26%, Nasdaq 0.5%

* BlackRock ( BLK ) gains after Q1 profit rises

* JPMorgan ( JPM ) and Wells Fargo ( WFC ) fall after Q1 results

* United, American Airlines ( AAL ) climb after merger pitch

(Updates after PPI data)

By Niket Nishant and Avinash P

April 14 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes were on

course to open higher on Tuesday after reports of fresh efforts

to ease the Middle East conflict boosted sentiment, with traders

also assessing corporate earnings and the March producer price

data.

Delegations from the U.S. and Iran could resume talks in

Pakistan to end the war this week, sources told Reuters. This

comes after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran had been in

touch and wanted to make a deal, but he would not agree to any

outcome that allows Tehran to have a nuclear weapon.

The market has been sensitive to developments in the region,

with even tentative signs of an off-ramp sufficient to encourage

investors eager for positive news.

At 08:34 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 25 points, or

0.05%, S&P 500 E-minis added 18.5 points, or 0.26%, and

Nasdaq 100 E-minis rose 128.5 points, or 0.5%.

The S&P 500 has recouped most of its losses since the

start of the war, while the Nasdaq 100 logged a nine-day

winning streak, its longest rally since September 2025.

"Investors seem to be buying into the notion that it may

take a while, but there is an off-ramp in the future to this

war," said Art Hogan, chief ​market strategist at B Riley

Wealth.

Commentary from several Federal Reserve policymakers later

in the day will be closely watched for insight into how the

central bank is assessing the impact of the U.S.-Iran war.

EARNINGS EYED FOR DIRECTION

A busy slate of quarterly earnings is also expected to guide

the market.

"The earnings season will help investors shift their focus

from the macro to the micro," Hogan said.

BlackRock ( BLK ) gained 1.9% in premarket trading after the

asset manager reported a rise in first-quarter profit, helped by

strong inflows into its exchange-traded funds and a sharp

increase in performance fees.

JPMorgan ( JPM ) and Wells Fargo ( WFC ) declined 0.7% and

2.9%, respectively, following their first-quarter results.

Citigroup ( C ) rose 1.7%, while Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ )

was down 1.2% post earnings.

"Despite a messier macro backdrop, the earnings season

begins from a constructive fundamental starting point," said

Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise

Financial.

"The next few weeks of profit reports will likely need to

confirm that earnings momentum is broad enough and guidance firm

enough to support stock prices after a period of elevated

volatility and, in some pockets, still above-average

valuations."

Meanwhile, data showed that U.S. producer prices increased

less than expected in March as the cost of services was

unchanged.

Among other stock movers, United Airlines and

American Airlines ( AAL ) rose 2.9% and 8.7%, respectively.

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby pitched a potential merger

with American Airlines ( AAL ) to Trump in late February, two sources

said, raising the prospect of an industry-reshaping deal.

Shares of Globalstar ( GSAT ) jumped 9.3% after Amazon.com ( AMZN )

agreed to an $11.57 billion deal to buy the satellite

company.