U.S. merger volume hits record despite soft June

June 28 - Reuters - Merger activity in the United States hit a new record in the first half of the year, fueled by deep-pocketed private equity firms and low borrowing costs, even as the pace of deals began to slow in June, investment bankers said on Thursday.

The U.S. broke through the $1 trillion level for total mergers, marking the first time that mergers have hit that level in the first six months of any year, according to research firm Dealogic.

So far this year, U.S. merger volume totaled $1.005 trillion, up 36 percent from the same period a year ago. The number of deals, however, dropped 12 percent, Dealogic said. Read More.