US STOCKS-Futures tepid after recent run powered by stimulus hopes

(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock
markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window.)
* Futures: Dow flat, S&P down 0.11%, Nasdaq off 0.09%

By Medha Singh
Jan 13 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were flat on
Wednesday as investors digested a recent rally to record highs
on bets of a snap-back in economic activity fueled by more
fiscal stimulus and vaccine rollouts.
Expectations of a hefty COVID-19 relief package under
President-elect Joe Biden and hopes of a rebound in corporate
earnings this year have eclipsed concerns over signs that the
labor market recovery has stalled amid rampant COVID-19
infections.
Wall Street's main indexes ended marginally higher on
Tuesday on a boost from economy-linked financials, energy and
materials stocks, while the small-cap Russell 2000 .RUT ,
sensitive to domestic outlook, closed at an all-time high.
Investors are watching events in Washington, where the U.S.
House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday to impeach
President Donald Trump over the storming of the U.S. Capitol
last week that stunned the nation and left five dead.
U.S. Federal Reserve officials on Tuesday said that concerns
about continued violence pose a risk, but the transition to a
new administration on Jan. 20 and a likely accelerating vaccine
rollout have left them optimistic. The new Democratic-controlled Senate will take up further
COVID-19 relief legislation as soon as Democrats take control of
the chamber, U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer assured
on Tuesday.
At 6:27 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis 1YMcv1 were down 12 points,
or 0.04% and S&P 500 E-minis EScv1 were down 4 points, or
0.11%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis NQcv1 were down 11.5 points, or
0.09%.
Earnings reports from big U.S. banks including JPMorgan
JPM.N and Citigroup C.N will mark the unofficial start to
the fourth-quarter earnings season later this week where
investors will gauge remarks from executives for clues on
corporate America's health.
Exxon Mobil Corp XOM.N added 0.9% after J.P. Morgan
upgraded the stock to "overweight", its first outright "buy"
recommendation for the oil major in seven years, saying cuts in
capital spending had put it on track for a stronger performance.
General Motors Co GM.N added another 3% in premarket
trading on top of Tuesday's 6% jump after the automaker
announced its entry into the growing electric delivery vehicle
business. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals REGN.O climbed 3.5% in light
trading as the U.S. government said it would buy 1.25 million
additional doses of the company's COVID-19 antibody cocktail for
about $2.63 billion.