The Guardian, possibly mulling a Berliner-style mid-size format change now being speculated for next year, is up 1.36% to 381,421 in April, making it this month's best performer out of the quality dailies. However, it is suffering a 6.48% year-on-year fall.
Its nearest editorial competitor, The Independent, continues to narrow the circulation gap, climbing 0.87% in April to 260,259, proving its decision to go compact has been the right one. Year on year, it is up an impressive 12.6%.
The story is a slightly different one for The Times. It is slightly down this month by 0.59% to 654,762 as it continues to struggle as a dual-format title. It is down just under 3% year on year.
The Daily Telegraph remains almost static, up 0.4% to 923,449 on last month. It is down 2.48% year on year.
The Financial Times has had a disappointing month, down 1.14% to 443,685. It is down 4.52% year on year.
The Indy's success has carried across to its Sunday sister title, the Independent on Sunday. Last month, it started publishing its business section in a tabloid format, which has had a positive effect. It is up 1.45% to 212,280. The only other Sunday quality to be up for April was The Sunday Telegraph, up 1.39% to 707,443.
The Guardian's stablemate, The Observer, was down 0.47% to 450,119, while the Sunday Times was also slightly down, falling 0.3% to 1,391,729. However, it is still the biggest-selling Sunday quality.
The Business saw a huge circulation slide last month, down 37.14%, hit by the end of its distribution deal with The Mail on Sunday in the middle of the month.
Among the tabloids and mid-markets, Trinity Mirror's Daily Record was the best performer, up 1.52% to 498,846. Its sister title the Daily Mirror, currently embroiled in controversy over claims of "fake" pictures allegedly depicting British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, was down 0.91% to 1,888,145.
The Daily Star slipped 0.19% to 902,026. However, it is the only tabloid to be up year on year by 7.46%. Its Sunday title was up 5.61% to 521,995, a rise of 9.22% year on year. The only other Sunday tabloid to be up last month was The People, rising 1.78% to 1,033,692.
The UK's best-selling tabloid, The Sun, was marginally down this month, falling 0.38% to 3,345,828.
Richard Desmond's title, The Express, which has just reconfirmed plans for the launch of a freesheet to rival The Evening Standard, was down this month by 0.14% to 940,849. Its rival The Daily Mail was up by 0.39% to 2,407,392 and sister Associated title The Evening Standard was down 1.28% to 388,852.
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