On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.35% to 8,709.3 points

Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to fall

The Australian share market is expected to fall on Wednesday following a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 5 points lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.25%, the S&P 500 was down 0.15%, and the Nasdaq was 0.1% lower.

Oil prices tumble

ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a difficult session on Wednesday after oil prices sank overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 4% to US$88.92 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 2.6% to US$102.56 a barrel. Traders were selling oil after crude exports recovered at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea ports.

REA Group shares upgraded

The team at Bell Potter has become a little more positive on REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA) shares following recent weakness. This morning, the broker has upgraded the property listings company’s shares to a hold rating with a $148.00 price target. It said: “We upgrade our recommendation to Hold, with the share price now trading in-line with our Target Price. Although we still see risk to FY27 volumes, we view the risk as broadly priced in and now wait to get clarity on looking through the cycle toward a recovery.”

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session on Wednesday after the gold price pushed higher. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.1% to US$4,213.8 an ounce. Traders were buying the dip on gold following a heavy decline.

Buy Codan shares

Bell Potter doesn’t think it is too late to buy Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares despite their 24% rise on Tuesday. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $73.00 (from $60.00). It said: “We forecast 39% Comms revenue growth in FY27e, implying 5% YoY in 2H27, and see scope for further upgrades if CDA successfully mitigates supply chain pressures given surging production of Group 2 UAS. CDA trades on 32x EBIT. Retain Buy.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• How much do I need in my superannuation to retire comfortably at age 67?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX 200 slips as RBA boosts interest rates to 15-year highs
• ASX 200 holds steady as investors brace for a big afternoon

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in REA Group. 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.

In Australia, most superannuation calculation models use age 67 as the primary baseline.

Age 67 is also the qualifying age for the Age Pension. 

At this point, it’s assumed most retirees will be drawing down, or about to draw down, on their super to finance their retirement lifestyle.

But how much do you need to have saved to be able to retire comfortably?

What does a comfortable retirement look like?

A comfortable retirement is considered one that gives individuals and couples a good standard of living and enough money to finance things like top-tier health insurance, regular social and leisure activities and some travel.

What does a comfortable retirement cost?

There are a couple of benchmarks to consider.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) calculates that comfortable retirement will cost roughly $55,923 per year for single Australians. It’s expected to cost a couple living together closer to $78,566 per year combined.

Meanwhile, independent consumer advocacy group Super Consumers Australia (SCA) splits costs into three categories: low, medium and high spending. And they’re based on the actual spending data of Australian retirees rather than an estimated budget.

For the sake of comparison, we’ll assume a high budget gives the most ‘comfortable’ standard of living.

SCA calculates that retirement will cost roughly $61,100 per year for single Australians, and $88,920 per year for couples.

How much do I need in my superannuation to finance this type of retirement at age 67?

In order to have enough money for a comfortable retirement, ASFA calculates that at age 67, single Australians should have around $630,000 in their superannuation. Meanwhile, couples will need a balance closer to $730,000.

The calculation assumes you will only need to fund around 10 years of retirement, will be eligible to receive a part Age Pension, and that you own your home in full.

SCA calculates that you need a little more. Single Australians need a superannuation balance of $891,000, while couples need around $1.216 million. 

These calculations assume that about 29-34% of your retirement spending will be covered by the Age Pension and that you own your home outright.

How does your superannuation balance compare?

I don’t have enough. Is it too late to boost my superannuation balance?

Even at age 67, there are a few things you can do now which will help to increase your superannuation balance.

The first piece of advice is always to check that your super fund is performing well and that your investment strategy and risk profile match your own. 

Then, you want to add extra contributions wherever you can. Individuals can make concessional (before-tax) super contributions or after-tax payments within their annual limits. 

Government contributions might also be available depending on your personal circumstances.

If you’ve done all these things and you still don’t have enough to finance a comfortable retirement, another option is to continue working for a few more years. By delaying retirement into your early 70s you get an extra three or so years of income and compound growth.

The post How much do I need in my superannuation to retire comfortably at age 67? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX 200 slips as RBA boosts interest rates to 15-year highs
• ASX 200 holds steady as investors brace for a big afternoon
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) shareholders.

The Xero share price finished Tuesday at $58.04, down around 49% in 2026 and 63% over the past 12 months.

It has also fallen more than 30% in September alone, despite the company releasing no major bad news during the sell-off.

But could Xero shares eventually make their way back to $100?

From yesterday’s close, that would require a gain of around 72%.

That sounds like a lot, but I don’t think $100 is unrealistic over the next couple of years.

Here’s why.

The market has changed its mind

One of the most interesting things about Xero’s fall is how quickly investors have changed what they’re willing to pay.

Back in late August, Xero shares were trading close to $90.

A month later, they’re below $60.

Yet Xero hasn’t issued an earnings downgrade or warned of deteriorating trading conditions during that period.

Instead, rising bond yields, interest rate concerns and worries about AI have all weighed heavily on the software sector.

That has pushed Xero back to a share price last seen in mid-2019.

The difference is that Xero is now a much bigger business.

Operating revenue increased 31% to NZ$2.75 billion in FY26, while adjusted EBITDA rose 18% to NZ$757.4 million.

Free cash flow also reached NZ$554 million.

So, while the share price has gone backwards, the business definitely hasn’t.

What could get Xero back to $100?

For me, Xero doesn’t need everything to go perfectly.

It simply needs to show investors that its current growth can continue and that the Melio acquisition is starting to pay off.

Management expects FY27 operating revenue of between NZ$3.62 billion and NZ$3.73 billion.

Adjusted EBITDA is forecast between NZ$860 million and NZ$920 million.

The US could be particularly important.

Xero is spending heavily to build its brand there, while Melio gives the company a much bigger opportunity in payments.

Then there’s AI.

Xero now has more than 5 million customers and is rolling out JAX, its AI platform designed to automate bookkeeping and financial workflows.

If those investments drive faster US growth and higher revenue per customer, investors could start looking at Xero very differently again.

Would I buy Xero shares?

Yes, I would.

I’m not expecting Xero shares to race back to $100 anytime soon.

But at $58.04, I think Xero shares are looking increasingly attractive after the recent sell-off.

The company is still growing quickly, generating plenty of cash, and has a huge opportunity ahead of it in the US.

And keep in mind, a return to $100 would still leave Xero well below its previous highs.

If management delivers on its FY27 guidance and Melio starts adding to growth, I think Xero shares can eventually climb back above $100.

The post Can the Xero share price climb back to $100? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Sell alert! Why this expert is calling time on Life360 and Xero shares
• 3 ASX shares to sell now according to experts
• 6 ASX shares set to soar 39% to 135%
• How much could the Xero share price rise in the next year?
• Buy, hold, sell: Xero, South32, Woodside shares

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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.