NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Stocks could open either way Tuesday, as surging oil prices offset some positive earnings reports.

Early Monday, U.S. stock futures were mixed, indicating the market would be looking for direction at the start.

Oil prices were sharply higher, hitting $70 a barrel for the first time in seven and a half months due to increasing tensions between Iran and the West. Oil prices are within sight of their all-time treading high of $70.85, reached in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

But aiding futures Monday is Citigroup (Research), which said first-quarter profit rose, helped by increased revenue from non-U.S. operations. Net income for the largest U.S. bank rose to $5.64 billion, or $1.12 per share, from $5.44 billion, or $1.04 per share, a year earlier.

Wachovia (Research) bank reported higher first quarter profits, in-line with estimates, helped by a growth in fees.

Newspaper publisher Knight Ridder (Research) said first-quarter earnings fell 53 percent as stock-based compensation and sale-related expenses ate into profit.

And TiVo (Research), the maker of digital video recorders, surged nearly 20 percent in pre-market trade after a weekend report in Barron's saying the firm could be a takeover target.

Treasury prices edged higher, but the yield on the benchmark 10-year note stayed above five percent at 5.03 percent from 5.04 percent late Thursday. The dollar was higher against the euro and little changed against the yen.

High oil and gold prices pushed most major Asian markets lower, while European exchanges are closed for Easter Monday.

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