US stocks rose on Thursday amid easing investor fears about a potential slowdown in economic recovery. Energy stocks, to be more specific, pushed the S&P 500 into positive territory, so the benchmark index closed 0.8% higher. Nasdaq 100 also increased, while Treasuries fell amid a below-forecast inflation report. Dollar also weakened against most of its major peers.

After rallying 20% to record highs in the first eight months of the year, the S&P 500 started September with a losing note as concerns intensified that a pullback in stimulus and Delta variant of COVID-19 could disrupt economic recovery.

Sebastian Gali, senior macro strategist at Nordea Investment, wrote: "It's time to reload stocks, starting in the North American market."

Meanwhile, data compiled by Instinet LLC indicated that cumulative trading volume across all exchanges topped 10 billion shares for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, the longest streak since mid-June.

While the US inflation data released on Tuesday reduced pressure on the Federal Reserve, investors remain wary of other hurdles such as the impact of the Delta variant, rising economic recovery costs and China's drive to rein in the private sector.

And at the end of the year, investors will have to digest debates over the US debt ceiling, President Joe Biden's tax package, infrastructure spending and Fed spending cuts.

Other important events this week are:

- speech of ECB chief Christine Lagarde (Thursday);

- report on US jobless claims (Thursday);

- data on EU CPI (Friday).