NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Weakness in a consumer sentiment reading soured investors early Friday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average sliding.

A positive pre-announcement from computer hardware maker Dell Computer and better-than-expected results from Juniper Networks gave U.S. tech stocks a boost, keeping the Nasdaq close to the breakeven point.

At 9:55 a.m. ET, the Dow was down 127.45 to 8,674.08. The Nasdaq composite index slipped 1.84 to 1,372.59.

The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index fell to 86.5 in the preliminary July reading from 92.4 in June, according to Reuters. Economists were expecting a slight increase.

Computer hardware leader Dell Computer (DELL: up $1.09 to $25.02, Research, Estimates) said late Thursday that sales and profits in its quarter ending Aug. 2 should come in higher than what was previously forecast, thanks to growth in its U.S. education, government and consumer business segments.

Shares of network gear maker Juniper Networks (JNPR: up $0.55 to $7.77, Research, Estimates) rose after the company said late Thursday that it posted a small profit in its second-quarter, due to cutting expenses. On a per share basis, the company reported breakeven results, excluding items, down from the 9 cents earned one-year earlier. Analysts were expecting a loss of a penny per share. The company also said it will cut about 10 percent of its work force, due to an acquisition.

Dow component and diversified manufacturer General Electric (GE: up $0.25 to $27.60, Research, Estimates) posted second-quarter earnings of 44 cents a share that were in line with expectations and higher than the 39 cents per share earned one year earlier.

In economic news, June retail sales rose 1.1 percent last month, topping expectations, the Commerce Department said.

Treasury prices fell in early trading, pushing the 10-year note yield up to 4.64 percent from 4.63 percent late Thursday. The dollar fell versus the yen and the euro. Brent oil futures rose 45 cents to $26.08 a barrel in London. Gold rose in early U.S. trading.

European markets rose at midday, thanks to tech gains, while Asian stocks finished mostly higher Friday.