By Saeed Azhar, Kanchana Chakravarty and Sukriti Gupta NEW YORK (Reuters) -U.S. stock indexes closed higher on Tuesday, helped by gains in Nvidia and other chipmakers, as investors awaited possible negotiations between the United States and its trading partners for more clarity on Washington's tariff plans.

Trump said late on Friday he planned to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% from 25% starting Wednesday, just hours after he accused China of violating an agreement.

Nvidia is trading at $131, down 1.1%, as markets await its Q1 earnings release on May 28. Analysts expect strong results driven by AI chip demand, but geopolitical tensions over China sales could pose headwinds. Technical indicators suggest a potential breakout above $143 if earnings and guidance meet bullish expectations.