** Shares of Metcash MTS.AX fall as much as 2.1% to A$3.29 in early trade, their lowest since December 1

** Stock logs largest intraday pct decline since December 4

** Conglomerate trades ex-dividend

** Co declared an interim dividend of 8.5 Australian cents per share

** Stock on track to decline 2.5% this week, its fifth straight week of losses

(Reporting by Nikita Maria Jino in Bengaluru)

((Nikita.Jino@thomsonreuters.com;))