U.S. stocks began down in early trade Monday.
Oil prices spiked and Iran rumors added to the jitters in the sector.
The S&P 500 dropped rapidly as investors watched.
Tech stocks kept the S&P under pressure as earnings lagged.
The Dow posted a slight uptick but most shares stayed flat or lower by noon.
Traders think earnings will indicate whether big tech and consumer stocks can recover in the coming days as market sentiment improves.