(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock

markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window.)

*

CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) dips on bleak revenue forecast

*

Intel ( INTC ) drops after Trump's plans to kill chips subsidy law

*

US service sector expands in February; price growth

accelerates

*

Nasdaq Composite on track to confirm correction

*

Indexes up: Dow 0.40%, S&P 500 0.22%, Nasdaq 0.37%

(Updates to mid-session trading)

By Johann M Cherian and Sukriti Gupta

March 5 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes rose in

choppy trading on Wednesday, as investors hoped for a delay in

U.S. auto tariffs on its top trading partners.

At 12:24 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average

rose 170.65 points, or 0.40%, to 42,691.64, the S&P 500

gained 12.80 points, or 0.22%, to 5,790.95 and the Nasdaq

Composite climbed 67.83 points, or 0.37%, to 18,352.99.

The main indexes turned positive after a report said the

U.S. administration was considering a one-month delay of auto

tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

Carmakers Ford rose 3.5% and General Motors ( GM )

added 5%. Tesla gained marginally.

Uncertainty around tariffs pressured the markets despite

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's comment that Trump was

considering granting some relief on import of items such as cars

and autoparts, that comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada

free-trade agreement.

The remarks came after Trump escalated a global trade war on

Tuesday as he imposed 25% tariffs on top trade partners, Canada

and Mexico.

The tariff announcement is expected later in the day.

"Everybody's hoping that the tariffs that have been

implemented are just a negotiation tactic, but the longer they

go on, the more they are going to pressure the overall economy

and raise prices," said Robert pavlik, senior portfolio manager

at Dakota Wealth.

An ISM report earlier on Wednesday showed an unexpected rise

in growth in the services sector in February. However, signs of

increased input prices tempered optimism.

Separately, ADP data showed private payrolls increased at

the slowest pace in seven months in February, ahead of Friday's

crucial payrolls report.

Yields on short-term Treasury bonds rose following the data,

further pressuring equities. Traders now see the central bank

lowering borrowing costs by at least thrice by 25 basis points

by December, according to data compiled by LSEG.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is also slated to unveil its beige

book at 2:00 p.m. ET.

Investors have sold riskier equities over the past few weeks

on fears that Trump's trade policies would amplify inflation

pressures, slow the economy and eat into corporate profits, at a

time when multiple reports have suggested a cooling economy.

Energy stocks fell 3.3% and led declines among the

top 11 sectors of the S&P 500, as crude prices declined.

The benchmark S&P 500 has fallen about 6% from its

record high, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq has dropped

over 10% from its December 16 peak and was on track to confirm a

correction.

Chipmaker Intel dropped 4.4% following Trump's

remarks that lawmakers should get rid of a law offering

subsidies to the semiconductor industry.

CrowdStrike ( CRWD ) fell 8.5% after the cybersecurity firm

forecast first-quarter revenue slightly below estimates.

Huntington Ingalls rose 11.3% after Trump said his

administration will create an office of shipbuilding in the

White House and offer tax incentives.

Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.12-to-1 ratio

on the NYSE and by a 1.23-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq.

The S&P 500 posted one new 52-week high and 8 new lows,

while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 30 new highs and 138 new

lows.

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian and Sukriti Gupta in Bengaluru;

Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)