M&A slowdown clouds Wall Street view on stocks

By Rodrigo Campos NEW YORK (Reuters) - Worldwide merger deals have declined sharply from the frenetic pace that pushed them to record levels in 2015, a sign that could reflect broader weakness in the U.S. economy and vulnerability for U.S. stocks. Previous merger and acquisition activity bursts peaked in 2000 and 2007 and preceded big stock sell-offs. The number of deals is down 13 percent, as expectations of higher interest rates and more government regulation is making mergers seem more expens