U.S. stock index futures rose on Friday after Apple forecast strong sales growth, while investors awaited key inflation data that could influence the Federal Reserve's policy decisions.

Apple gained 3.4% in premarket trading on upbeat executive comments in its earnings on Thursday, in a sign the company would recoup a dip in iPhone sales as it rolls out AI features.

"Investors appeared reassured by guidance that revenue growth is expected in the low- to mid-single digits in the coming quarter," Deutsche Bank analysts said in a note.

The December personal consumption expenditures price index is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET, with headline inflation expected to increase 0.3% month-on-month and 2.6% annually.

Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the PCE price index is expected to rise 0.2%. Annually, it is expected to stay put at 2.8%, according to economists polled by Reuters.

The central bank held interest rates steady in its latest rate decision earlier this week, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell said there would be no rush to cut them again until inflation and jobs data made it appropriate to do so.

Intel advanced 1.3% after the chipmaker posted December-quarter results that beat analysts' low expectations, while its forecast for current-quarter revenue missed estimates.

Chevron fell 2.2% after reporting fourth-quarter earnings below estimates, while Exxon Mobil rose 0.8% after it beat fourth-quarter profit estimates.

At 06:41 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 150 points, or 0.33%, S&P 500 E-minis were up 28 points, or 0.46%, and Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 173.25 points, or 0.8%.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were set for weekly losses as tech shares suffered a rout after Chinese startup DeepSeek unveiled a breakthrough in low-cost artificial-intelligence models, triggering a bloodbath in AI-linked stocks.

Microsoft plunged more than 6% on Thursday following a disappointing growth forecast in its cloud computing business, exacerbating broader losses.

Despite this week's volatility, all three major indexes were on track for monthly gains, with the S&P 500 less than 1% short of its all-time high hit last week.

January has been a mixed month for equities, with the S&P 500's returns flat on average since 2000, according to data compiled by LSEG.

Meanwhile, global markets stayed vigilant after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the U.S. would impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, repeating his warning ahead of his previously announced Saturday deadline.

Among other early movers, Vertex Pharmaceuticals rose 7.2% after the Food and Drug Administration approved the drugmaker's non-opioid painkiller.

Deckers Outdoor dropped 14.7% after the UGG bootmaker's annual sales forecast raise missed lofty expectations after a strong holiday quarter.

Walgreens Boots Alliance lost 9.8% after the pharmacy chain operator suspended its quarterly cash dividend amid restructuring efforts.

(Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan and Sukriti Gupta in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai and Arun Koyyur)