** Shares of Australia's Qantas Airways QAN.AX fall as much as 10.5% to A$8.720, set for their weakest trading session since mid-March 2020, if losses hold
** Shares fall on ex-dividend trade, co set to pay out 26.4 Australian cents per share to its shareholders
** The stock, which gained 8.6% this year as of last close on Monday, is just trading 1.3% higher YTD
** Overnight, U.S.' Delta Air Lines DAL.N falls 14% after cutting first-quarter forecasts, while its CEO flags weakening environment due to economic uncertainty
** Qantas shares enjoyed some gaining momentum this year as brokerages kept updating their PTs on the stock after it reported a bumper profit
(Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru)
((Nichiket.Sunil@thomsonreuters.com;))