When the paper was launched from Manchester, it was circulated only in the North and Midlands. It was conceived by the then-owners of Express Newspapers, Trafalgar House, to take on the strength of the "Daily Mirror" and "The Sun" in the north. It was also intended to use the under-capacity of the Great Ancoats Street presses in Manchester as the "Daily Express" was losing circulation. The "Daily Star" sold out its first night print of 1,400,000. Its cover price has decreased over the years to compete with its rival "The Sun".