Kevin Carter / Getty Images Key Takeaways U.S. equities took off at midday as it appeared Democrats in the Senate would join Republicans in approving a spending plan that would prevent a government shutdown. Ulta Beauty saw strong demand for its cosmetics during the holiday season. T-Mobile was downgraded by Citi, sending shares lower. U.S. equities jumped at midday on indications the Senate would agree to a federal spending plan that would prevent a government shutdown tonight. The Nasdaq gained more than 2%, the S&P 500 was up nearly 2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 1.5%. Ulta…