Futures point to softer Wall Street start

* Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average DJc1, the S&P 500 SPc1 and the Nasdaq NDc1 were down 0.2 to 0.3 percent, indicating a softer start on Wall Street ahead of a holiday on Monday.

* Dell Inc (DELL.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted a surprisingly steep drop in quarterly earnings on Thursday and said companies around the world are cutting back on technology spending [ID:nN28345916]. Its shares in Frankfurt (DELL.F: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are down 10.2 percent.

* Microsoft (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Friday announced its first major deal since falling to buy Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), agreeing to acquire Web-based survey company Greenfield Online Inc SRVY.O for about $486 million [ID:nBNG336947]. Microsoft shares in Frankfurt (MSFT.F: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) are down 2 percent.

* U.S. personal consumption expenditure data is due at 1230 GMT.

* Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) sued Swiss drugmaker Novartis (NOVN.VX: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc (MNTA.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday, accusing them of infringing patents on its multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone. [ID:nN28348894]

* Bankrupt U.S. auto parts maker Delphi Corp (DPHIQ.PK: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) may end up being liquidated, with some U.S. plants being taken over by its former parent General Motors Corp (GM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), the Wall Street Journal said, citing people involved in the bankruptcy process.

* The Dow .DJI, the S&P 500 .SPX and the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC closed up 1.2 to 1.9 percent on Thursday as the U.S. government reported the economy grew at a surprisingly robust clip in the second quarter and oil prices eased, driving gains in major industrial and financial companies. (Reporting by Dominic Lau; Editing by David Cowell)