United Parcel Service shares gained 2.05% to $108.80 on Thursday, while FedEx rose 3.79% to $403.31 and ZTO Express added 0.87% to $25.59.
The advance came in a broadly stronger market, with the S&P 500 up 1.02% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.62%, marking UPS's second straight daily gain.
Even after the rise, UPS closed 11.12% below its 52-week high of $122.41 reached on 12 February, while trading volume of 6.1 million was roughly in line with its 50-day average.
As rival FedEx surges, can UPS's risky bet on shedding low-margin volume actually succeed?
Can the UPS transformation plan survive a critical court battle with its own powerful union?