The financial crisis has triggered a "huge surge" of investors looking to buy private equity positions from distressed owners, as three-quarters of them look for bargains in the so-called secondary market, according to research published today.

However, the secondary market - where second-hand private equity assets are traded - remains "surprisingly quiet" as potential sellers wait for pricing to improve, according to a survey of 250 investors by Almeida Capital, an advisory boutique.