** Shares of pharmacy retailer Sigma Healthcare SIG.AX volatile in early trade; last up 0.2% at A$2.77

** SIG trading for the first time since merger with privately-owned pharmacy giant Chemist Warehouse

** Chemist Warehouse owns 85.8% of the merged company, which is valued at A$8.8 billion ($5.52 billion)

** SIG stock has nearly quadrupled since the merger was first announced on December 11, 2023

($1 = 1.5931 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Jasmeen Ara Shaikh in Bengaluru)

((Jasmeenaraislam.shaikh@thomsonreuters.com))