NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors worldwide poured $1.5 billion into corporate loan funds based in the United States in the week ended April 10, a weekly record according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Bank of America Merrill Lynch, citing figures from fund-tracking firm EPFR Global, also said on Friday that U.S.-based loan funds' assets under management have grown by 23.5 percent, or $18 billion, so far this year. (Reporting by Sam Forgione; Editing by James Dalgleish)