US stocks struggled for direction Monday as Trump criticized Iran's response to a peace plan, tempering market enthusiasm. The S&P 500 opened little changed amid lingering concerns about the duration of the Iran war, despite positive economic indicators and strong corporate earnings.

Wall Street strategists raised their S&P 500 targets for this year, buoyed by robust earnings reports. Chip stocks continued their strong performance, with Intel Corp. and Micron Technology Inc. among the top gainers, helping to support the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100, which edged up 0.2%.

The market presented mixed signals, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.1% while technology sectors gained. Investors remained cautious about geopolitical tensions, balancing optimism about corporate earnings against uncertainty in international relations.