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* Futures down: Dow 0.8%, S&P 500 0.7%, Nasdaq 0.7%

* Goldman Sachs delays next Fed rate-cut forecast to

September

* Oil surges back above $100 as tankers set ablaze in

Middle East

* Trump administration starts trade probes in 16 trading

partners

March 12 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures slid on

Thursday as oil prices soared back above $100 a barrel, fanning

inflation worries and forcing traders to dial back expectations

of U.S. interest rate cuts.

Crude prices jumped following reports that two tankers were

set ablaze in Iraqi waters after apparent Iranian strikes, part

of a broader wave of attacks on oil and transport facilities

across the Middle East. Iran warned oil prices could surge as

high as $200 a barrel.

Goldman Sachs has pushed back its forecast for the Federal

Reserve's next rate cut to September, from an earlier

expectation of June. Money market futures show traders now fully

price in only one quarter-point cut by December, down from two

cuts expected before the conflict.

Global markets have been roiled this month as the U.S. and

Israel's war with Iran disrupted oil supplies and sent crude

prices sharply higher, complicating global central banks' plans

to ease monetary policy.

Additionally, Washington said it was launching two new trade

investigations into excess industrial capacity in 16 major

trading partners and into forced labor, in a long-telegraphed

move, to rebuild tariff pressure after the U.S. Supreme Court

tore down much of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff program

last month.

At 3:35 a.m., S&P 500 E-minis were down 47.5 points,

or 0.7%, Dow E-minis were down 387 points, or 0.82%,

and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were down 171.25 points,

or 0.69%.

Following a string of credit issues surfaced in recent

months, investors are scrutinizing the roughly $2 trillion

private credit market, raising concerns over loan performance

and borrowers' ability to manage elevated interest rates.

Glendon Capital Management said private credit lenders such

as Blue Owl are obscuring weaknesses in their

portfolios, according to a Financial Times report.

Morgan Stanley limited redemptions at one of its private

credit funds on Wednesday, and JPMorgan Chase reduced the value

of some loans to private credit funds.

Shares of Bumble are likely to be in focus on

Thursday after the dating app operator reported fourth-quarter

revenue above estimates. The company's shares rose about 20% in

after-hours trading on Wednesday.

Later in the day, investors will gauge jobless claims and

comments from Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michelle Bowman.