The age of austerity and a tough economic climate have paved the way for current affairs titles to thrive. Overall, UK news magazines increased circulation 4.2% year on year.
Finance and current affairs titles led the charge, with Money Week up 15.3% year on year and The Week up 10.3% year on year.
The Economist continued to make gains, registering its 56th consecutive increase period on period and rising 2.6% year on year to 187,341.
Publisher Yvonne Osmond believes the title's authoritative stance on business and current affairs is key to its success. She says: "As the value placed on news has declined, the value placed on comment and understanding has grown."
Toby Bray, managing director of Money Week, which was up 15.3% year on year, agrees.
He says: "We started out as more of a round-up of news for investors. But the title has gradually found a voice and is now setting the agenda for cautious investors in unpredictable times. We were one of the lone voices that predicted a fallout during the economic boom and that has earned us further credibility as a title."
Private Eye - still the biggest- selling title in the domestic news sector - halted circulation declines to record a 0.6% year-on-year rise to 206,550 copies a fortnight.
The Oldie - which describes itself as "Private Eye for grown-ups" - surged 18.9% year on year to 34,310, while the left-leaning monthly Prospect, which has recently been revamped, registered a 0.3% increase year on year.
Given this climate and its record high at the end of 2008, The Spectator's performance is comparatively disappointing, with a 2.4% year-on-year drop to 75,095.
With the prospect of a Conservative government being elected next year, all eyes will be on whether the title can secure its position as a leading title for right-leaning audiences.
