Sunday papers recover after chilly December

All but one of the national Sunday newspapers recorded a month-on-month circulation rise in January, with only the Daily Star Sunday experiencing a slight fall. The across-the-board lift in circulation can be attributed to generally poor sales in December as newspaper buying dips during the Christmas and New Year holiday. However, circulation was down year on year at every national Sunday newspaper, shosw the latest Audit Bureau of Circulations figures, released today. The News of the World and the Sunday Mirror recorded the biggest rises in circulation in January. The Mail on Sunday also recorded a slight month-on-month lift in January, up 0.32% to 1,958,083, which represented a 4.39% decline on the same month last year. The News of the World had the biggest monthly bounce in January, up 7.25% to 2,789,560. News International's red-top remains the UK's most popular national newspaper despite a year-on-year drop of 6.53%. The Sunday Mirror was up 4.34% to 1,092,816 – a 2.83% drop on January 2010. The title's Trinity Mirror stablemate, the People, rose back over the 500,000 mark, with a 2.92% lift on December to 500,866 – a 6.02% year-on-year fall. The Daily Star Sunday dropped 5.98% month on month in January to 316,712. This represented an 11.73% drop on January last year. Its Northern & Shell stablemate the Sunday Express was up 0.99% month on month to 550,269 in January, which represented a 5.94% year-on-year fall. After 12 months of double-digit, year-on-year declines, because of the removal of bulks, the rates of circulation decline for the Sunday Times and Sunday Telegraph slowed in January. Both titles began cutting back on bulks towards the end of 2009 and stopped distributing them in January last year. The Sunday Times boosted its average monthly circulation by 3.1% in January, to 1,039,371, which equates to a year-on-year 9.22% decline. In January, the Sunday Telegraph, which raises its cover price by 10p to £2 next weekend, increased its circulation by 1.18% on December to 496,128. This was down 5.99% on January last year. Guardian News & Media's the Observer remains above the 300,000 circulation mark, with a 4.22% jump last month to 314,164. The Observer's circulation fell 11.39% year on year, affected by a reduction in overseas distribution. The Observer sent 14,000 fewer copies abroad each weekend on average compared with January 2010. The Independent on Sunday's circulation was up in 1.41% in January compared with December, to 152,561. This represented a year-on-year decline of 0.92%. The Sunday Times Headline circulation: 1,039,371 Month-on-month change: +3.1% Year-on-year change: -9.22% Overseas: 39,173 The Sunday Telegraph Headline circulation: 496,128 Month-on-month change: +1.18% Year-on-year change: -5.99% Overseas: 14,073 The Observer Headline circulation: 314,164 Month-on-month change: +4.22% Year-on-year change: -11.39% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 297,519 (94.7% of total) Overseas: 16,645 The Independent on Sunday Headline circulation: 152,561 Month-on-month change: 1.41% Year-on-year change: -0.92% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 68,234 (44.7% of total) Overseas: 27,636 Mail on Sunday Headline circulation: 1,958,083 Month-on-month change: 0.32% Year-on-year change: -4.39% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 1,755,757 (89.6% of total) Overseas: 92,049 Sunday Express Headline circulation: 550,269 Month-on-month change: +0.99% Year-on-year change: -5.94% UK and Ireland paid-for circulation: 515,294 (94.7% of total) Overseas: 29,168 News of the World Headline circulation: 2,789,560 Month-on-month change: +7.25% Year-on-year change: -6.53% Overseas: 35,451 Sunday Mirror Headline circulation: 1,092,816 Month-on-month change: +4.34% Year-on-year change: 2.83% Overseas: 23,782 The People Headline circulation: 500,866 Month-on-month change: +2.92% Year-on-year change: -6.02% Overseas: 12,804 Daily Star Sunday Headline circulation: 316,712 Month-on-month change: -5.98% Year-on-year change: -11.73% Overseas: 7,153 More details soon... Headline circulation includes lesser rate sales, subscriptions, bulks – copies sold to airlines, rail companies, hotels and gyms for a nominal fee and given free to the public – and distribution in Ireland and overseas. UK and Ireland paid-for circulation excludes bulks and overseas distribution; where this figure is not given, bulks and overseas distribution account for less than 5% of total circulation • To contact the MediaGuardian news desk email [email protected] or phone 020 3353 3857. For all other inquiries please call the main Guardian switchboard on 020 3353 2000. • If you are writing a comment for publication, please mark clearly "for publication".