Bermudians are not convinced that the recession is really over -- and believe the Island may be headed for another downturn.

Those concerns -- fuelled by the sluggish recovery of the Western economies which most impact on Bermuda -- are addressed in the latest edition of The Bottom Line, the bi-annual economic and business published by The Royal Gazette's magazine division, Crown Communications.

In the magazine's cover story, Gazette business writer David Fox talks to business leaders and economists about the economic climate and the short and long-term business forecast. And he finds that while international business, although skittish about Independence, continues to grow while key local business areas such as tourism, real estate and retail have yet to recover fully from the recession.

In a related article, Doug Ashbury takes an in-depth look at the retail sector as Bermuda's best-known names battle to make a profit in the face of increasing competitition from overseas malls and outlets as Bermudians shop abroad in growing numbers.

Other articles look at the supporting role of companies who service the international business sector; Bermuda's `international' companies who do business overseas; doing business on the Internet; and the importance of understanding today's multicultural workplace.

There is also an insight into the executive team which runs the Island's largest financial institution, the Bank of Bermuda, as well as profiles of the entrepreneurial Steve Thomson, the man behind Mailboxes and Just Shirts, and Bermuda Commercial Bank executive Sheila Dickinson; and a look at Young Enterprise, a business-backed scheme to expose high school students to the business world.

The 76-page colour magazine is available free from most Royal Gazette outlets.