ProFunds Group is launching the first exchange-traded funds offering single inverse exposure to equity indexes on China, the US real estate and the US basic materials sectors.

Single inverse ETFs seek to provide -100 per cent of the return of an index or benchmark, before fees and expenses, for a single day.

The new ProShares ETFs are: Short FTSE/Xinhua China 25, Short Real Estate and Short Basic Materials. The ETFs will list on NYSE Arca.

With today's launches, ProShares expands the nation's only line-up of single inverse equity and fixed income ETFs to 14. These ETFs may be used by knowledgeable investors for short term periods to manage risk or seek profit when markets decline.

"Our existing double inverse ETFs based on these indexes are popular, but some investors prefer the lower volatility of single inverse exposure," says Michael L. Sapir, chairman and chief executive of ProShare Advisors. "ProShares is committed to offering the broadest array of inverse ETFs to help knowledgeable investors protect their portfolios or potentially benefit from market dips."