The head of NYSE Euronext’s listings business in the US, which suffered its worst-ever year for initial public offerings in 2009, has predicted a "tsunami" of buyout-backed flotations over the next three years.

Speaking to investors in New York yesterday, Scott Cutler said: "In the next two to three years there will be a tsunami of deals from companies returning to the public markets after being taken private as they will not be refinanced in difficult debt markets."