It has been a rough month for Arafura Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: ARU) shareholders, but Friday is finally bringing some relief.

The Arafura Rare Earths share price is up 4.41% to 17.8 cents in morning trade after the rare earths developer released a new offtake update.

That comes after the stock fell to a 52-week low of 16.5 cents earlier this week.

Even with today’s rise, the shares are still down around 17% over the past month and 34% since the start of 2026.

So, let’s take a closer look at the details.

Arafura locks in more demand

According to the release, Arafura has extended an existing binding offtake agreement with a global wind turbine manufacturer.

The deal covers the supply of up to 500 tonnes per annum of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide equivalent from the Nolans Project in the Northern Territory.

The initial contract runs for 5 years, with the potential to extend it to 8 years.

Pricing will be in US dollars and linked to independent global rare earth pricing indexes, including Benchmark Mineral Intelligence or S&P Global Platts North America.

Arafura hasn’t named the customer, saying it doesn’t plan to disclose counterparties unless their identity is considered material.

The company also said it remains in discussions with a number of other parties over additional offtake.

This means that at the maximum annual volume, this agreement would represent just over 11% of Nolans’ planned NdPr production.

Construction is getting closer

The latest offtake deal adds another piece to Arafura’s plans to move the Nolans Project from development into construction.

Nolans is designed to produce 4,440 tonnes of NdPr oxide each year over a planned 38-year mine life. Arafura says the project could eventually supply around 4% of global demand.

NdPr is used in permanent magnets in products such as electric vehicles and wind turbines.

The board made its final investment decision (FID) in May, with construction targeted to begin from September.

Management said project financing is in its final stages, with contractual close and strategic equity subscription settlement targeted for October.

Foolish takeaway

I like this update, particularly with Arafura locking in more demand ahead of construction at the Nolans Project.

The agreement covers a decent chunk of future production and gives the company another customer before the project is even built.

And with financing also nearing completion, I think Arafura shares are starting to look more attractive at these levels.

At 17.8 cents, I’d be keeping a close eye on Arafura shares as the company moves closer to getting Nolans off the ground.

The post Guess why this ASX stock is jumping 4% on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Some ASX shares have been hit particularly hard over the past year.

Two on my radar are trading more than 50% below their 52-week highs despite the long-term opportunities remaining strong.

Here is why I would buy them.

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Catapult shares are down more than 60% from their 52-week high.

That is a huge fall, but I still like where the sports technology company is heading.

Catapult works with professional sporting teams around the world, providing technology for areas such as athlete monitoring, video analysis, scouting, and performance management.

What I like is how much more valuable the platform can become as clubs use more of those products together.

A professional team may initially use Catapult to track player workloads, but the relationship can expand into video, tactical analysis, recruitment, or strength and conditioning. That creates opportunities to earn more from existing customers while continuing to add new teams.

I also think professional sport has plenty of room to become more technology-driven.

Teams spend enormous amounts on players and coaching staff. Software that helps them prepare better, make stronger decisions, or reduce the chance of players missing games can therefore have real value.

Catapult still needs to keep converting its growth into stronger profits, and the share price could remain volatile. But after a decline of more than 60%, I think it now offers an attractive risk-reward profile.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

Cochlear shares are around 54% below their 52-week high.

The company has faced a difficult period, but I do not think the need for its products has changed.

Cochlear develops implantable hearing solutions for people with severe hearing loss.

One of the reasons I remain positive is that many people who could potentially benefit from a cochlear implant never receive one.

Low referral and treatment rates leave Cochlear with a substantial opportunity to reach more patients over time.

The company is also continuing to improve its products. Its Nucleus Nexa platform gives recipients more personalised hearing technology, while longer-term developments such as drug-eluting electrodes and potentially totally implantable devices could make cochlear implants even more capable.

That does not mean the recovery will be immediate. Cochlear still needs to rebuild investor confidence and demonstrate that earnings can improve after a weaker period.

But with the shares trading at less than half their 52-week high, I think investors are being offered a much more reasonable entry point into a global healthcare leader.

Foolish takeaway

A falling share price is only interesting to me when I still believe in the business behind it.

That is the case with Catapult and Cochlear.

Both have disappointed investors recently, but I think their underlying markets still offer plenty of room for growth. At prices more than 50% below their recent highs, I would be comfortable buying both with a long-term view.

The post 2 ASX shares down over 50% that I would buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

At age 60, you’ve reached preservation age, meaning you can retire and start drawing down on your superannuation. It also means you’re just seven years away from potentially receiving the Centrelink Age Pension.

The Age Pension is a fortnightly sum designed to help older Australians finance their lifestyle in retirement.

The only thing is. Not everyone is eligible. The amount you can get depends heavily on your income and the assets that you own. 

The income test assesses all of your income, pooled from all sources. That includes anything from superannuation contributions and investment income to part-time wages, bonuses, passive income, and commission payments. 

And the rules are constantly changing, as do the thresholds and maximum potential payments.

And overlooking or misunderstanding your limits means you could see yourself earn less, or nothing at all, when the time comes.

Here are six things every Australian at age 60 needs to know about the Age Pension income test before they retire.

1. Eligibility is strict

To be eligible for the Age Pension, you need to meet basic requirements ahead of the income or asset test. 

That is, you need to be 67 years old (or older). You also need to be an Australian resident who has lived in Australia for at least 10 years, with at least five of those years in a continuous period.

2. The maximum potential payment is about to change

From the 20th of September, the maximum fortnightly Age Pension payment will go up to $1,237.70 for individuals. Couples will soon get up to $933 per person per fortnight, or $1,866 combined.

These figures include the maximum basic rate, the maximum pension supplement, and the energy supplement.

3. Income limits for the maximum rate will stay the same

The income limits won’t change next week. To receive the full Age Pension, single Australians can earn up to $226 per fortnight. Meanwhile, couples can earn up to $396 per fortnight.

Individuals can earn up to an extra $24.60 per fortnight for each dependent child without reducing their pension. Couples living together and both getting a pension can each earn an extra $12.30 per fortnight for each dependent child.

4. Age Pension deeming rules apply, and they’re also about to change

To calculate how much income you receive from your assets, Centrelink uses what it calls a “deeming rule”. 

Deeming assumes your financial assets earn a fixed, set rate of income, regardless of what they actually earn. This assumed income is then added to any other income to determine your final Age Pension rate.

And these rates are about to go up, too.

As of the 20th of September, the lower deeming rate increases from 1.25% to 1.75%, while the upper rate increases from 3.25% to 3.75%.

For single Australians, the first $66,800 of financial assets will soon be deemed at a rate of 1.75%. Over that threshold, the assets will be deemed at the new 3.75% rate.

For couples, the lower 1.75% rate applies to the first $110,600 of combined financial assets, with the higher 3.75% rate applied to anything above.

5. Don’t panic, a part payment is still possible

If you’re over these levels, it’s still possible to earn some level of Age Pension payment before the payment reduces to zero. And thankfully, these are also about to get a boost next week.

Single Australians can earn up to $2,701.40 per fortnight, and couples (living together) can earn up to $4,128 per fortnight combined and still qualify for at least a part-Age Pension. 

If you earn over the income limit and below these cut-off points, your income is assessed on a sliding scale. For a single person, your Age Pension will reduce by 40 cents for each dollar over $226, and for couples, it will reduce by 20 cents for each dollar over $396.

6. Centrelink uses what is called “the lower rule of two”

Centrelink assesses you under both an income and an asset test and then applies whichever gives you the lowest rate of payment.

The post 6 things Aussies at age 60 need to know about the Age Pension income test before they retire appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.