(Updating with full report)

ATHENS (Thomson Financial) - Shares ended sharply higher after a volatile session, amid solid gains for refiners which more than offset profit-taking for banking stocks.

The ASE general index closed up 2.5 percent at 2,060.3 and blue chips rose 1.8 percent to finish at 1,110.4.

Mid caps closed up 2.7 percent to 2,336.8, and small caps closed up 2.2 percent at 437.1.

Advancers outnumbered decliners by 193 to 53 with 74 unchanged in average for the month volume of roughly 255 million euros.

Refiners got read across support after today's surprisingly strong Chevron results. The local index closed up 10 percent. Motor Oil SA finished up 7.4 percent to 8.44 euros and Hellenic Petroleum SA closed up 11.7 percent to 6.48 euros.

Investment holding company Marfin Investment Group SA (MIG) closed up 7.5 percent to 3.42 euros and bottler Coca-Cola HBC SA ended up 6.8 percent to 10.9 euros, both continuing their technical rebounding from recent severe selling pressure.

Lottery operator OPAP SA closed down 1.9 percent to 17.06 euros on renewed concerns over the status of its local betting monopoly may be challenged by European rivals.

The banking sector succumbed to profit-taking. Bank of Cyprus Public Company Limited finished down 1 percent to 4.04 euros, Greek Postal Savings Bank SA closed down 1.2 percent to 4.86 euros, and Alpha Bank SA ended down 1.9 percent to 11.38 euros.

EFG Eurobank Ergasias SA closed down 0.5 percent to 8.46 euros after it posted slightly lower than expected third quarter results late yesterday after the close of trade. nick.skrekas@thomsonreuters.com ns/cmr

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