U.S. stocks pared gains and the Nasdaq turned negative on Monday as overseas concerns weighed on sentiment, offsetting a lift in telecom shares after positive broker comments.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 13.92 points, or 0.11 percent, to 12,234.51. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> added 0.64 point, or 0.05 percent, to 1,314.44. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 1.85 points, or 0.07 percent, to 2,741.21.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)