LONDON (Reuters) — The global economic downturn has shown signs of easing in recent weeks, although significant risks remain, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner wrote in the Financial Times on Friday.

The decline in world trade may be abating and conditions in some financial markets have improved, Geithner wrote in an opinion piece ahead of a meeting of G20 finance officials in Washington on Friday.

“In recent weeks, there have been some encouraging signs that the global economic downturn may be slackening,” he wrote. “Conditions in some financial markets have improved and the decline in world trade may be abating.”

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