Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are sliding on Thursday as investors weigh the latest developments around the gold miner.

At the time of writing, the Northern Star share price is down 3% to $19.70.

Northern Star shares are still up around 4% this week, but today’s fall has taken some momentum out of the move.

The ASX gold stock remains down 26% in 2026.

Here’s the latest.

More boardroom movement

According to The Australian, Northern Star has appointed former Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) boss Jeff Quartermaine to its board as a non-Executive Director.

Quartermaine has more than 35 years of mining experience and spent 15 years with Perseus, including as Chief Executive.

Northern Star told investors that Quartermaine brings “significant gold mining, processing and development experience” to the board.

The board change also comes while pressure is building behind the scenes.

US activist investor Elliott Investment Management has built a stake worth more than $1 billion and has been pushing for change, including board renewal and a wider strategic review.

The Australian also reported that Northern Star appears set to appoint two new board members with mining experience in the coming months.

Northern Star reshuffles at the top

Northern Star has been trying to clear up some leadership uncertainty.

The company recently named Suresh Vadnagra as its next Managing Director and Chief Executive. He is expected to replace Stuart Tonkin in October, with Chief Financial Officer Ryan Gurner stepping in as interim CEO until then.

Vadnagra is currently a senior executive at Glencore, where he oversees nickel and zinc industrial assets.

Northern Star has confirmed that Michael Ashforth will replace long-serving Chairman Michael Chaney after the company’s annual general meeting in November.

At the same time, takeover speculation is sitting in the background.

The Australian noted that Northern Star has received takeover approaches, although they are understood to be opportunistic and short of what the company could accept.

Gold Fields has been floated as one of the more likely names to watch.

Production update stays in focus

The boardroom changes and takeover talk aren’t the only things helping Northern Star this week.

The company also gave investors a better production update last week, which helped calm some of the concerns around the stock.

Northern Star said it remains on track for FY26 gold sales of 1.543 million ounces. That is within its recently downgraded guidance range.

Preliminary figures included 844,000 ounces from the wider Super Pit operations and 434,000 ounces from Yandal.

Still, there is a lot to work through. With Elliott applying pressure and takeover speculation brewing, the incoming CEO has quite a big job ahead.

The post Takeover talk and a boardroom shake-up: Why Northern Star shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Washington just launched fresh strikes on Iran. Here is what that means for ASX shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Your late 50s should be when your focus shifts from accumulating your super to working out how and when you’ll access it.

After all, at the age of 58, you’re just two years from your preservation age. This is when you can start accessing your super if you’ve stopped working.

While it’s possible to retire this early, many Australians wait until they’re in their mid-60s or even early-70s to retire. By this point, you can access your superannuation regardless of whether you’ve stopped working or not, and you could also potentially be eligible for the Age Pension.

The question is, how much do you actually need in your superannuation before you can retire? And how do you know if you’re on track with the rest of the population?

Here’s a breakdown of what the average Aussie has at age 58, and what you actually need to retire comfortably in the next few years.

What is the average superannuation balance at age 58?

There isn’t an exact figure for the average superannuation balance at age 58, but the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) has a good guideline.

ASFA’s data shows that at age 55 to 59, the average Australian male has around $319,743 in superannuation. The average female the same age has approximately $242,945.

So, how does your balance compare to the average Aussie the same age?

The catch is, even if you’re on track with the rest of the population, you still might not have enough to fund a comfortable retirement when the time comes.

How much does a comfortable retirement actually cost?

The majority of Australians will aim to live a comfortable retirement lifestyle. That’s one that enables retirees to maintain a good standard of living throughout their retirement years.

A comfortable retirement is one in which you have funds to pay for top-tier private health insurance and regular leisure activities. You’d have enough money to pay for home repairs or renovations, and perhaps even an annual holiday.

ASFA data shows that a comfortable retirement will cost around $55,923 per year for singles and $78,566 for couples. Again, it assumes you’ll receive a part Age Pension and that you own your home in full. 

That means ASFA’s data indicates that by age 67, single Australians need a superannuation balance of approximately $630,000. And couples should have closer to $730,000.

Is my average superannuation balance on track to meet this figure?

Unfortunately not. 

If your superannuation is in line with the rest of the population, then you’ll be able to afford a very basic and modest retirement lifestyle from the age of 67.

It could cover things like basic health insurance and home repairs, but wouldn’t leave much room for leisure activities or meals out, let alone a holiday.

But if you’re expecting to live a retirement lifestyle beyond the basics, you’re already falling far behind. 

In fact, I’ve crunched the numbers, and at age 58, you should have around $456,500 in your superannuation. 

This is around $137,000 to $214,000 more than what the average person has at the same age.

And if you’re planning to retire earlier than age 67, then you’ll also need to account for the cost of those extra years.

Help! How can I boost my balance before it’s too late?

At age 58, there are a few things you can do to boost your superannuation to where you want it.

Focus your attention on making extra contributions however you can. Individuals can make concessional (before-tax) super contributions, such as salary sacrificing, which are taxed at a reduced rate. You can also make after-tax payments within your annual limits. 

It is also a good idea to check in with Government contribution rules to see if you’re eligible for any under your personal circumstances. After all, every dollar counts when it comes to compounding growth!

The post Average superannuation balance for 58 year olds in Australia. How does yours compare? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Steadfast Group extends exclusivity on $6.00 per share takeover offer
• How to build $60,000 in annual passive income from ASX dividend shares
• Is CSL a fallen ASX giant to buy in July?
• Washington just launched fresh strikes on Iran. Here is what that means for ASX shares
• 3 tips for retiring with $1 million in superannuation

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF) share price is in focus today following an update on a non-binding indicative proposal, with a further four-week exclusivity period now in place as Amwins Group and Dragoneer Investment Group progress their offer of $6.00 per share in cash.

What did Steadfast Group report?

• Consortium has re-confirmed its intention to acquire Steadfast at $6.00 per share in cash.
• Soft exclusivity period extended by four weeks under the Process Deed.
• Proposal made via a scheme of arrangement for 100% of Steadfast’s outstanding shares.
• No binding agreement reached at this stage; deal remains non-binding and indicative.

What else do investors need to know?

The Steadfast Board notes there is no guarantee a binding agreement will be reached and urges shareholders there is no certainty the proposal will result in a formal transaction. Shareholders do not need to take any action at this time.

The group will keep the market informed as new details emerge. Steadfast continues to operate its extensive insurance broker and agency networks across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the USA, serving a broad client base in the insurance sector.

What’s next for Steadfast Group?

Steadfast will continue cooperating with the consortium during the extended exclusivity period. The company’s board is carefully considering the interests of all shareholders in relation to the proposal.

Management has reiterated that further updates will be provided to the market as appropriate, keeping investors informed on any material developments as the process unfolds.

Steadfast Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Steadfast shares have declined 13%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Steadfast Group extends exclusivity on $6.00 per share takeover offer appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Fletcher Building lifts FY26 profit guidance as quarterly volumes rise
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why the ASX 200 is sliding towards a 4-week low today
• Qube shares: Scheme now effective and special dividend declared

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Steadfast Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Steadfast Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.