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Futures up: Dow 0.26%, S&P 500 0.34%, Nasdaq up 0.42%

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Fed's Barr: tariffs to boost inflation, slow growth this

year

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Lyft ( LYFT ) up after boosting stock buyback program, Q1 profit

beat

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Expedia ( EXPE ) falls after soft US travel demand leads to revenue

miss

(Updates before markets open)

By Purvi Agarwal and Johann M Cherian

May 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a

slightly higher open on Friday as investors assessed fresh

comments from President Donald Trump regarding tariffs on China

ahead of a key weekend meeting between the two countries.

Futures had moved lower briefly after Trump said Beijing

should open its market to the United States and that 80% tariffs

on Chinese goods "seems right." The levies are currently at

145%.

Representatives from the world's two biggest economies

are scheduled to meet in Switzerland over the weekend to discuss

tariffs, with investors hoping the talks will salve a bruising

trade war that has raised concerns over global economic growth

and left markets, companies and the U.S. Federal Reserve in

wait-and-watch mode.

"Anyone who thinks the deal is getting done at 80% is not

seeing things clearly. You're going to see that they'll come to

something more reasonable over time, but this was a step in the

right direction," said Thomas Hayes, chairman at Great Hill

Capital.

On Thursday, Wall Street's main indexes closed higher as

investors cheered a trade deal struck between Britain and the

U.S. - the first of its kind since Trump paused his initial

tariffs last month.

Under the new agreement, Britain will lower its tariffs

on U.S. goods and provide greater import access, while the

U.S.-imposed 10% baselines tariffs will remain in place.

However, the limited nature of the agreement brought up

questions about its actual impact and usability as a template

for deals with other countries.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported India had offered to slash its

tariff gap with the U.S. to less than 4% from nearly 13% now, in

exchange for an exemption from Trump's tariffs, according to

sources.

"We're going to see multiple deals with major nations and

that's going to allow CEOs to get some more confidence that they

can start to plan and possibly invest all that has been on

hold," said Hayes.

At 08:42 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 107 points, or

0.26%, S&P 500 E-minis were up 19.5 points, or 0.34%,

and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 84.5 points, or 0.42%.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq are set for marginal declines

this week.

Several policymakers are expected to deliver remarks, days

after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged.

Governor Michael Barr said Trump's trade policies will

likely lift inflation, lower growth, and raise unemployment

later this year, leaving policymakers with a potentially tricky

decision on which problem to fight.

On the earnings front, about 75% of S&P 500 companies

had surpassed profit expectations as of Wednesday. But many have

withdrawn their annual forecasts citing an uncertain trade

environment.

Expedia ( EXPE ) slipped 9.7% in premarket trading after

the online travel platform missed quarterly revenue estimates.

Trade Desk ( TTD ) shares jumped 14.4% after the ad firm

posted first-quarter revenue and profit above Wall Street

estimates.

Pinterest ( PINS ) climbed 10.7% after it forecast

current-quarter revenue above estimates, while Coinbase

reported a drop in first-quarter profit, sending the crypto

exchange's shares down marginally.

Lyft ( LYFT ) jumped 10.7% after the ride-hailing company

increased its stock buyback program and beat first-quarter

profit estimates.

(Reporting by Purvi Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika

Syamnath)