Banks financing Kohlberg Kravis Roberts' leveraged buyout of payment processor First Data are poised to start syndicating a portion of the debt this week, providing the first true test of investor appetite for a pipeline of over $300bn (€216bn) worth of leveraged loans that banks have failed to sell over the summer months amid credit market turmoil.

The seven underwriting banks, being led by Citi and Credit Suisse, are scheduled to start an investor roadshow for the First Data Corp's financing today after they released offered terms and pricing on the loans on Friday last week.