* Honeywell results top estimates
* British economy contracts unexpectedly
* Microsoft results, existing home sales on tap
* Futures up: Dow 10 pts, S&P 500 1.1, Nasdaq 4
NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Friday ahead of earnings from software giant Microsoft Corp and existing home sales data.
* Microsoft's fiscal first-quarter results are due before the opening bell and one day after the closely watched launch of its Windows 7 operating software. Wall Street expects total revenue to fall to $12.4 billion from $15 billion a year earlier, according to a Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S poll.
* Honeywell International Inc advanced 2.5 percent to $39.50 in premarket trade after the diversified manufacturer posted a 15 percent decline in profit but topped expectations.
* After the closing bell Thursday, online retailer Amazon.com Inc posted earnings above expectations and its shares shot up almost 16 percent to $108.26 premarket.
* "The futures have been vacillating back and forth. You had some nice earnings news from a handful of people," said Barry Ritholtz, director of equity research at Fusion IQ in New York.
* "We see surprises every quarter because companies have gotten very astute at reducing expectations and then beating them."
* S&P 500 futures rose 1.1 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 10 points, and Nasdaq futures gained 4 points.
* Sales of previously owned homes likely rebounded in September after a surprise fall in August, boosted by a government incentive for first-time buyers, low prices and attractive mortgage rates.
* A Reuters survey of 65 economists indicated existing home sales at 5.35 million units in September at a seasonally adjusted annual rate. That would be up from 5.10 million in August. The data is due at 10 a.m. EDT.
* Britain's economy contracted unexpectedly in the third quarter of this year, the government said Friday, quashing hopes the downturn was ending, and marked the longest recession on record.
* Schlumberger Ltd added 0.6 percent to $69 in light trading Friday after the oilfield services leader reported third-quarter earnings that beat estimates by 2 cents.
* European stocks rose broadly early Friday, as buoyant banking and mining shares helped reverse a drop in the previous session.
* U.S. stocks rose Thursday, with the Dow industrials closing back above 10,000 after quarterly results from insurer Travelers Cos Inc and regional bank PNC Financial Services Group Inc boosted financial stocks.