Here is a look at ETFs that currently offer attractive short selling opportunities.
The ETFs included in this list are rated as sell candidates for two reasons. First, each of these funds is deemed to be in a downtrend based on the fact that its 50-day moving average is below its 200-day moving average, which are popular indicators for gauging long-term and medium-term trends, respectively.
Second, each of these ETFs is also trading above its 20-day moving average, thereby offering a near-term ‘sell on the pop’ opportunity given the longer-term downtrend at hand. Note that this prospects list also features a liquidity screen by excluding ETFs with average trading volumes below the one million shares mark. As always, investors of all experience levels are advised to use stop-loss orders and practice disciplined profit-taking techniques.
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- Only 10 ETFs made it to the list of sell on the pop prospects this month. Equity markets softened in early January as a mixed bag of bank earnings and cautious economic data dampened investor appetite for risk. Meanwhile, safe-haven demand pushed gold and silver to fresh record highs as traders hedged against lingering market uncertainty.
- iShares MSCI India ETF (INDA ) and Franklin FTSE India ETF (FLIN ) were the two India-focused ETFs on the sell on the pop list. The Indian market rebounded as the initial shock of the Budget’s tax hikes gave way to optimism over infrastructure spending and fiscal discipline. This recovery was anchored by a rally in heavyweights like Reliance and HDFC Bank, further bolstered by a stabilizing Rupee.
- GraniteShares 2x Long META Daily ETF (FBL ) and Direxion Daily META Bull 2X Shares (METU ) also featured on the sell on the pop list. Meta stock surged this week as a massive Q4 earnings beat, with revenue hitting $60 billion, convinced investors that its aggressive AI spending is finally translating into higher ad prices and user engagement. The market was cheered by guidance for high growth and the promise that operating income will still exceed 2025 levels. Compare and contrast the two ETFs here
- United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG ) and ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (UCO ) were sell on the pop prospects on the list. Energy prices surged in January 2026 due to a perfect storm of geopolitical friction and extreme weather. Crude oil hit four-month highs as rising tensions with Iran and a weakening U.S. dollar increased risk premiums, while natural gas prices skyrocketed as a severe Arctic cold wave triggered massive heating demand and supply freeze-offs across the U.S.
- To compare this month’s list with the one published on January 14th, click here.
ETFs to Sell on the Pop
| Ticker | Name | Last | 1-Year Return | Leverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (BWX ) | SPDR Bloomberg International Treasury Bond ETF | 22.69 | Long | |
| (INDA ) | iShares MSCI India ETF | 53.28 | Long | |
| (FLIN ) | Franklin FTSE India ETF | 37.99 | Long | |
| (VTIP ) | Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 49.64 | Long | |
| (STIP ) | iShares 0-5 Year TIPS Bond ETF | 102.77 | Long | |
| (FBL ) | GraniteShares 2x Long META Daily ETF | 36.33 | -19.18% | Double-Long |
| (METU ) | Direxion Daily META Bull 2X Shares | 35.85 | -20.79% | Double-Long |
| (UNG ) | United States Natural Gas Fund | 12.7 | -21.56% | Long |
| (UCO ) | ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil | 21.82 | -22.46% | Double-Long |
| (YMAG ) | YieldMax Magnificent 7 Fund of Option Income ETFs | 13.99 | -24.66% | Long |
Please note that this list is updated on a monthly basis.
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Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.
