* Euro down 0.6 pct at 80.79 pence EURGBP=D4 * Pound hurt vs broadly firmer dollar * UK 30-year gilts launch supports sterling * UK lending data mixed, market reaction limited LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - Sterling hit a 19-month high against the euro on Tuesday as investors shunned the common currency ahead of bank repayments to the European Central Bank this week as well as debt auctions. By 1345 GMT, the euro was down 0.6 percent near the day's low of 80.77 pence EURGBP=D4, its lowest since early November 2008. The common currency also fell to an 8-1/2-year low against the yen EURJPY=R and a two-week trough against the dollar below $1.2200 EUR=. "Though euro/sterling is venturing to oversold territory, further downside could be on the cards over the coming days if confidence deserts the euro during the expiry of the ECB's one-year tender (on Thursday)," said Kenneth Broux, markets strategist at Lloyds Banking Group. Near-term support was seen at 80.68 pence, the low on Nov. 7, 2008, then at 79.95 pence which was the low the previous day. Resistance was at a previous support level of 81.80 pence, traders said. On a trade-weighted basis, the pound rose to 82.50 =GBP, matching a high hit in September 2009. Sterling was supported later in the day as the launch of a new 4.25 percent 2040 gilt with a volume of 8 billion pounds was well received in spite of its hefty size. "Over the last few weeks, investors are moving out of equities and into gilts as they park their cash into safe-haven assets," said Christian Lawrence, currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets. The pound was pressured against a broadly firmer dollar as investors pulled back from riskier assets and equity markets fell in Asia and Europe. Britain's FTSE index .FTSE was down 2.2 percent by late afternoon trade. Sterling was down 0.2 percent at $1.5070 GBP=D4 after hitting a seven-week high of $1.5130 on Monday. There was limited market reaction to official data showing British mortgage approvals were unexpectedly flat on the month in May, though both net mortgage lending and consumer credit grew faster than expected. [ID:nLDE65S0OE] Sterling remained buoyed after gains on Monday, when Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) member Andrew Sentance told Reuters that Britain's tough budget did not remove the need to start raising interest rates now. [ID:nLDE65R20F] Markets were jolted after it emerged that Sentance voted to raise interest rates by a quarter point at a policy meeting earlier this month. "If inflation expectations show further signs of rising, and if nominal demand remains robust, we think the MPC will become increasingly uncomfortable with the current loose policy setting," analysts at Barclays Capital said in a note. The government's first budget, which spelled out future austerity measures, has also been a positive factor for sterling as sovereign debt concerns haunt the market. The Office for National Statistics said the release of final first quarter gross domestic product (GDP) figures due out on Wednesday would be postponed to July 12 due to potential errors. Data already released was not affected. [ID:nLAJ002368] (Reporting by Tamawa Desai; Editing by Hugh Lawson/Ruth Pitchford)

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