National advertising revenues remained flat year-on-year in the 17 weeks to 2 May despite rising 1% in January and February.
The nationals division includes The Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record, The People and The Sunday Mail.
But Trinity Mirror forecast a satisfactory overall performance in 2010 in today's trading update, at the same time as expressing its caution about the economic outlook.
The group, headed up by chief executive Sly Bailey, admitted that trading conditions "continue to be volatile", but added that it expected "the rate of decline to ease as we progress through the remainder of the year and we benefit from weaker comparatives".
Group advertising revenues, which include its stable of over 120 regional titles, fell 5%. The figures do not include revenues from the .
On the same basis, circulation revenues fell 6% and overall revenues fell 5%.
The group said it expects the regionals acquired from GMG to make a profit during 2010 and they are already performing ahead of expectations.
Trinity's regional division, which houses the Birmingham Post, continues to be hit by big drops in recruitment advertising (down 20%) and motors (15%) on the year.
The group said its digital operations were hit by the impact of the wider economy, impacting recruitment and property advertising.
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