US treasury secretary to meet with finance officials in Britain and Germany over debt crisis

US, Britain and Germany to discuss debt crisis

WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is planning to meet next week with finance officials in Britain and Germany to discuss ways to restore global confidence in the financial system.

The Treasury Department announced Geithner’s trip to Europe late Thursday following a rough day for global financial markets. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 376 points, its biggest point drop since February 2009.

Investors are concerned that debt problems in countries like Greece and Portugal will spill over to other countries in Europe and threaten to derail the economic recovery in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Geithner will visit Europe after he and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton meet with Chinese officials in Beijing.