The private equity backers of French electrical equipment company Rexel are today expected to overcome fears the recent stock market turmoil would undermine Europe's largest flotation when they start to market to investors.

Bankers at BNP Paribas, JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley begin their first investor education meetings with fund managers to assess interest in Rexel's €2bn ($2.6bn) float, according to sources close to the deal.