US STOCKS-Futures move higher after 3-day skid, housing data due

* Futures up: Dow 40 pts, S&P 5 pts, Nasdaq 11.75 pts

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK, Sept 24 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were trading modestly higher on Wednesday, putting the S&P 500 on track to snap a three-session losing skid, ahead of data on the housing market.

* Providing support was a renewed pledge by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi to keep monetary policy loose for an extended period to push inflation in the euro zone closer to the two percent level.

* New home sales data for August is due at 10:00 a.m. (1400 GMT). Expectations call for sales of single-family homes to increase to 430,000 from the 412,000 seasonally adjusted annual rate in July.

* Bed, Bath & Beyond shares were trading up 6.9 percent to $67 in premarket trading after the home furnishings retailer reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue as increased discounting and promotions helped attract more shoppers to its stores.

* Accenture (NYSE: ACN - news) shares were off 1.4 percent to $78.51 in premarket trading after posting fourth-quarter results and providing an outlook for the first-quarter and 2015.

* S&P 500 e-minis were up 5 points, or 0.25 percent, with 142,396 contracts changing hands.

* Nasdaq 100 e-minis were gaining 11.75 points, or 0.29 percent, in volume of 20,342 contracts.

* Dow e-minis were up 40 points, or 0.24 percent, with 16,069 contracts changing hands. (Editing by Bernadette Baum)