U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Friday as a number of bellwether names, including Amazon and Ford, fell following their quarterly results, overshadowing positive numbers from Microsoft.
* Investors also continued to pay attention to intensifying geopolitical strife after Ukrainian forces killed up to five pro-Moscow rebels and Russia launched army drills near the border. The actions raised fears Russian troops would invade. Separately, local police said seven people were injured overnight at a pro-Ukrainian checkpoint near the Black Sea port of Odessa when an explosive device blew up.
* While the situation has taken a backseat to corporate earnings in recent weeks, investors remain on edge over what the potential fallout could be to any prolonged tension or violence. Visa Inc late Thursday said U.S. sanctions on Russia were hurting its card transaction volumes and that revenue growth would slow further this quarter, sending shares down 3.7 percent to $200.50 in premarket trading.
* Amazon fell 5 percent to $320 after posting a jump in revenue, offset by sharp increases in spending. Ford Motor Co fell 2.1 percent to $15.98 in premarket trading after first-quarter earnings missed expectations, hurt by higher warranty costs in North America.
On the upside, Microsoft Corp's earnings topped analyst forecasts, while investors were cheered by the software giant's new emphasis on mobile and cloud computing. Shares rose 1.5 percent to $40.46.
