A timeframe for the €2bn ($2.6bn) initial public offering of French electronics retailer Rexel has been set for mid-April, later than had been expected for what could be the world's largest private equity-backed listing.

BNP Paribas, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley were appointed in October to handle Rexel's flotation, which sources had thought could launch as early as the end of this month.