RTRS: U.S. stock index futures lower; eyes on car sales
* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a slightly lower open on Wall Street on Monday, as gloomy comments by U.S. and European policymakers overshadowed hopes that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's plan for massive tax cuts will help revive economic growth.
* At 0958 GMT, futures for the S&P 500 futures SPc1, Dow Jones futures DJc1 and Nasdaq 100 NDc1 were down between 0.1 and 0.2 percent.
* Senior Democratic aides said on Sunday Obama plans to propose up to $310 billion in tax cuts for businesses and the middle class as part of his massive economic stimulus package. Obama intends to discuss his proposal during private meetings on Monday with Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives, the aides said. [nN04350872]
* Over the weekend, both Janet Yellen, president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, and Lucas Papademos, vice president of the European Central Bank, highlighted the risks of deflation -- an economically damaging spiral of falling prices and demand. [ID:nN04296451]
* Investors were bracing for U.S. monthly vehicle sales on Monday, as well as U.S. monthly construction spending data, seeking insight on the outlook for the embattled economy, but the big piece of macroeconomic data --the non-farm payrolls-- will come on Friday.
* Auto sales in Japan, excluding 660cc minivehicles, plunged 22 percent in December from a year earlier to the worst level on record for the month, capping a dismal 2008 when demand fell to a 34-year low.
* Pharmaceutical stocks will be in focus after the CEO of Pfizer Inc (PFE.N), the world's biggest pharmaceutical group, told the Financial Times in an interview the company is open to acquisitions.
* Japan's Sony Corp (6758.T) is likely to announce closures of Japanese factories and major divisions early next month, the Times of London said on Monday, but the company denied any such plan existed.
* U.S. stocks started the new year with a rally on Friday as investors looked beyond yet another piece of gloomy economic data on hopes that a recovery is on the horizon after a disastrous 2008.
* The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 2.9 percent; the Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX jumped 3.1 percent; the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC gained 3.5 percent. (Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Hans Peters)
