ANN DURBIN Breakfast cereal could use a lucky charm. U.S. sales of the colorfully packaged morning staple have been in a decades-long decline, a trend back in the spotlight with news that

An Italian candy company is looking to buy the breakfast cereal maker WK Kellogg in a business deal that would cost roughly $3 billion. Ferraro Group, which makes the little hazelnut candies Ferraro Rocher, as well as Nutella products, is in discussions to purchase the maker of such familiar cereals as Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes and Fruit Loops.

WK Kellogg and Ferrero did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment. WK Kellogg's shares surged by more than 56% in extended trading in New York on Wednesday after the reports. The deal could be worth double the firm's $1.5bn stock market value when ordinary trading ended.