The gains heavily outweighed the declines Thursday on our Huntsville and Alabama Stock Report.

WestRock was the big winner, rising 6.7%, or $3.21, to hit a 52-week high of $51.11 a share. The corrugated packaging company is based in Atlanta. It is the second-largest American packaging company and has eight sites across the state, including Huntsville, Athens, Stevenson and Cullman in north Alabama to Eutaw, Lanett, Demopolis and Montgomery in central Alabama.

Overall, U.S. stocks closed higher and trimmed their losses for the week.